Yu-Gi-Oh! Generation Fusion!
by Autismo555
Summary: A masked man, known as the Controller, has plucked the major focal points of Duel Monsters history and gathered up the biggest villains from each timeline to destroy the history of Duel Monsters itself! Now with the help of their friends and allies, Yugi Muto, Jaden Yuki, Yusei Fudo and Yuma Tsukumo join forces to prevent the threat from destroying the game they love!
1. Prologue

The Void.

An infinite space of emptiness, a plane of nothingness shrouded by the very essence of darkness itself. It is a dreadful place, where time and space literally meant nothing to the whole universe. The oldest and the most primordial force to be created since the beginning of time, the Void had existed as not an idea, but a dimension where anything and anyone was sent to oblivion by a force of an explosion or a great disaster, never to return to the plane of existence ever again. In the great river known to many as time, only a select few had ever tried to experiment with such a nonexistent force, but none prevailed.

Instead, a number of people focused with studying on how to defile the existent laws of time and space itself. Some had created man-made gravity for astronauts in their trip to outer space. Some had created interdimensional teleporters focused on traveling through different dimensions with otherworldly energies. Others had created an augmented reality and invented special viewing gazers to help them see that reality. In the future, few had invented machines to help them travel back and forth through the very fabrics of time. All in all, the future of the universe was expanded greatly upon the creation of technologies and the game that helped mould that very same, future: Duel Monsters.

What started out with a simple card game full of monsters and magic quickly expanded into an empire where Duelists young and old spent their days, shaping their own future around their beloved cards. Cities and schools were built from those cards, tournaments created champions and legends were born. Such legends were created not from the cards, but from the very Duelists who Dueled for their homes, their friends and with their hearts.

One such legend was the King of Games himself, Yugi Muto. After his grandfather, Solomon Muto returned from an archeological expedition from Egypt, Yugi Muto received a box containing a special puzzle that held the spirit of an unnamed pharaoh from the time of Ancient Egypt, when Duel Monsters were played with actual magic and monsters encased in stone tablets. After completing the puzzle, Yugi's soul was bound with the spirit of the unnamed pharaoh's soul, and the two formed a powerful team, one that would be told for years on end.

Their legend began with a Duel against the egotistical Seto Kaiba, who cared more about his title as Champion, his company, Kaiba Corp and himself more than everyone else he had met. After Kaiba met defeat by the unbeatable "Exodia," Yugi's name became widely known across the entire world, expanding more so after he defeated the sinister forces of the creator of Duel Monsters, Maximillion J. Pegasus in the final rounds of the Duelist Kingdom Tournament and defeating Yami Marik in a Shadow Game in the finals of the Battle City Tournament with the help of the power of the Egyptian God Cards. With the help and the support of his friends and his family, Yugi Muto and his spirit partner, Yami Yugi had earned themselves the title of the King of Games, the best Duelist who had ever drawn his first card.

Another legend, ten years or so later after Yugi Muto's story had ended with a tearful goodbye, was a Duelist who had the rare ability to see and hear the spirits of the Duel Monsters cards. Jaden Yuki, a Slifer Red of the prestigious Duel Academy, began his story with a chance encounter with a slightly older Yugi Muto and a single Duel Monster card. After making his way to the academy, Jaden Yuki proved himself to be one of the best Duelists ever to set foot on Duel Academy Island, though it was more than what anybody could say about his grades.

With the power of his "Elemental HEROs" cards at his disposal, Jaden defeated the forces of evil that also dared to set foot on the island, such as Kagemaru, leader of the Seven Shadow Riders, Sartorius, the vassal of the Light of Destruction and Yubel, a manipulative demonic Duel Monster with nothing more than trying to accomplish the ultimate goal of fusing twelve different dimensions into one destructive force. Jaden may have been pushed into a corner in more than one instance, but with his friends by his side cheering him on, he always followed through and won his way to become the second legend of Duel Monsters history.

The third legend of Duel Monsters is one who would ride his way towards a better future. Yusei Fudo, son of the late scientist, Prof. Fudo dedicated himself to ensuring the future shone bright for the citizens of New Domino City through Turbo Dueling, a type of Dueling done on special motorcycles run by a special kind of energy. Orphaned during the Zero Reverse disaster that separated New Domino City from Satellite, Yusei Fudo, Jack Atlas and Crow all grew up in a foster home, not knowing that destiny had much more in store for them. After discovering that he was part of a special group of people called the Signers, Yusei joined forces with Jack, Crow, Akiza Izinski, Leo and Luna to defeat the dark forces of the Dark Signers, vassals of the demonic forces of the "Earthbound Immortals," who wanted nothing than the destruction of the entire world. Joined together by the good forces of the Crimson Dragon and the SIgner Dragons, Yusei and his friends defeated the Dark Signers, led by the devious Roman Goodwin and restored peace between New Domino and the Satellite.

Despite growing up in a rough time and having known that his father was part of the Ener-D project that created Zero Reverse, Yusei decided to use all of his power to ensure that New Domino City never fell in another time of depression and hopelessness. To that end, Yusei continued to keep his head up, his Deck ready at the draw and the wheels of his prized Duel Runner guiding him towards the future and made sure never to look back at the past again.

Further down that same future was the fourth Dueling legend known to the history of Duel Monsters. In the city of Heartland, where Litterbots ran around free and Augmented Reality Duels hit the world by storm, a young energetic Duelist lived to take whatever life threw at him and turned it all into a challenge, despite him failing in the end. Yuma Tsukumo, son of explorers, Kazuma and Mira Tsukumo was just a Duelist with poor skills when an Ante Duel with the school bully, Shark, changed his life around forever. After meeting with a demonic door that released 99 "Number" cards all over the world, Yuma met Astral, an otherworldy, amnesiac entity who soon became his most staunchest friend and ally on their quest to collect 100 "Number" cards and restore Astral's memories.

Collecting the "Numbers" was no cakewalk for Yuma and Astral, as they had to battle against forces who wanted to see Astral and his home, the Astral World destroyed by the very cards they intended to collect. With the help of Shark and the lone wolf Number Hunter, Kite Tenjo, Yuma and Astral faced off against the combined evils of Dr. Faker, who used Kite's little brother, Hart's energies to destroy the Astral World; Vetrix, the man who was mutated into a younger age by the effects of the Barian World and used his sons to get revenge on Dr. Faker; and Vector of the Seven Barian Emperors, who orchestrated Yuma's downfall with some nearly disastrous results! Without the support of his friends, the guidance from Astral and the power of Zexal, Yuma would never have lived to high five the sky another day!

All four of these legendary Duelists lived to preserve the future of Duel Monsters and the wellbeing of their homes. Even though they might have been defeated at least once or twice, Yugi Muto, Jaden Yuki, Yusei Fudo and Yuma Tsukumo would keep to their feet and live on to Duel to their heart's content. But on one particular day, their lives would be changed once more by a newer, more powerful threat; a threat that endangered not only the game of Duel Monsters, but the entire timeline of Duel Monsters itself! Now, with the help of their friends, old rivals and former enemies, the Four Legendary Duelists will take up their Duel Disks and stand side by side for the greatest battle they had yet to face!

For tonight, emerging from the unformed space of the Void, a floating shadow slowly appeared. The floating shadow took the form of a humongous needle-shaped spaceship, made entirely up of futuristic metal and lights traveling down the center like blood traveling through the veins. The spaceship's height was taller than the diameter of planet Earth and the top part consisted of a full arc circle. Positioned exactly from each other were four small separate domes circling around one particular dome much larger than the other four.

Inside that large dome stood five figures, unrecognizable by the shrouding shadows. One of the figures in the front appeared as a silhouette of a cloaked figure. Deep, rhythmic, metallic breathing was heard from the man's face while the only light shining were tubes running through his arms, legs and torso. The silhouette and the other four shadowed figures stood by as they watched the tiled walls of the dome played Duels from each of the four timelines, all coinciding with the four heroic Duelists of all time, like a room full of flat-screen TV monitors merged into the walls. The cloaked man in the front nearly retched as the four Legendary Duelists spoke their signature catchphrases.

"It's time to Duel!"

"Get your game on!"

"Let's rev it up!"

"I'm feeling the flow!"

Hearing enough, the man with the deep breathing shut the monitors off, each one of them shutting out after another with a blink. The cloaked man turned around as the room grew dark with the last of the monitors switched off and walked towards the exit, his boots making a clinking-clanking sound with each step taken. The other four figures stood aside while the man stepped outside then followed him out into the chambers. While the man walked down the chambers towards his control station, he uttered a single phrase. It was a phrase he never thought to have said after he lived an unknown number of years after the Final Disaster. He spoke it in a voice so deep and metallic, that even the figures following him caused a slight shiver in their nerves.

**"Good-bye... Legendary Duelists."**


	2. Chapter 1: It's Time to Duel!

**The setting of Yu-Gi-Oh! takes place after the Battle City arc and a week before the Waking the Dragons arc. I hope you all enjoy my story! Positive feedback and critiques are optional, but I'd like to hear your opinions on the story and feedbacks on how to improve my story. Most Monsters, Spells and Traps are based off of the anime effects.**

**And no, I won't include Anubis as a villain. He barely had enough cards to make him a worthy adversary.**

**EDIT: Actually, I changed my mind. This story takes place AFTER the Waking the Dragons Arc and BEFORE the Memory Arc.**

* * *

Domino City.

The city where Duel Monsters first took the world by storm.

This city, located in the unknown regions of the world was home to some of the most grandest and the most epic history ever to dwarf all other future histories of Duel Monsters. Domino City was the home to two major corporations associated in the Duel Monsters game: Industrial Illusions, headed by the CEO, founder and creator of Duel Monsters, Maximillion J. Pegasus; and KaibaCorp, an entertainment industry headed by CEO and professional Duelist, Seto Kaiba.

Industrial Illusions was a corporation that specialized in publishing the Duel Monsters cards and the Dungeon Dice Monsters game, the main office situated in the major city of San Francisco, California. KaibaCorp was well known for their Duel Disks, a holographic invention that allowed Duelists to conjure up holographic images of monsters, Spells and Trap cards, all strapped in on their wrists. In the early days of Duel Monsters, Duel Disks were merely the world's second holographic technology with the power to project the images of every card played, the first being Duel Arenas.

Few worldwide tournaments were held in Domino City, gathering every top-notch Duelist from every corner of the globe to compete in the tournament known as Battle City. Many have Dueled bravely and fiercely, but nearly all of those Duelists failed to reach the very top of the championship. Nearly all, but one certain Duelist, who obtained the title as "The King of Games" and the Egyptian God Cards afterwards.

That Duelist was Yugi Muto.

The King of Games himself made his name known in Domino City when he first defeated Seto Kaiba with the power of "Exodia the Forbidden One." When Maximillion Pegasus stole his grandfather, Solomon's soul and sealed it in a blank card, Yugi traversed to the Duelist Kingdom Island where he fought alongside his pal, Joey Wheeler to save him. The journey would all been for naught if it wasn't for one other who aided Yugi in his fight: the spirit of the Unnamed Pharaoh, sealed away in Yugi's mystical Millennium Puzzle. It was with the combined powers of Yugi's heart and the Pharaoh's strong determination that they were able to defeat Pegasus in a Duel and rescue Solomon.

It was shortly after winning the Duelist Kingdom Tournament that Yugi and the Pharaoh, nicknamed "Yami" for short that a new threat arose in Domino City. The tombkeeper of the Pharaoh named Marik with a grudge against Yami for the pain he endured in order to protect his tomb. It was only after that Seto Kaiba hosted the Battle City Tournament in an attempt to reclaim his title as Duel Monsters Champion, only to fail at that in the semi-finals. When Yugi and Yami Yugi finally defeated Marik and won the Battle City Tournament, his name was carried out all over the world, attracting some unwanted attention that involved a crowding mob of Duelists and their goal to defeat Yugi in battle.

It was on this day, two months after Battle City, when that Duelist mob chased after Yugi in the streets of Domino City.

"He's gone this way! After him!"

"There's no way a punk kid like that could win the Battle City tournament!"

"That title of King of Games is mine!"

"Don't let him get away!"

These were among the few audible shouts from the Duelists gathered in a crowd as they gave chase to four individuals running frantically down the street. The first person was a guy of slightly short stature than the other three. His spikey black hair had magenta borders at the edges, long blonde crooked locks hanging at the very front of his hair. He wore a blue jacket over a black sleeveless shirt, a buckled collar around his neck. Hanging from his neck on a chain was an upside-down golden pyramid and the center was an Eye of Wdjat. This was the Duelist that everyone had a bloodlust to satiate by winning against him in a Duel: Yugi Muto.

The second person running right behind was a schoolgirl, a dear friend of Yugi's named Tea Gardner. She had brown hair which extended down and nearly touched her shoulders. She wore a yellow tube-top with black borders for the sleeveless holes, a black collar around her neck and red shorts, held up to her waist by a black belt. Two golden bracelets were attached to her wrist and wore brown knee-high platform boots.

Finally, running side-by-side together in the back with a panicked look on their faces were two of Yugi's other dear friends, Joey Wheeler and Tristan Taylor. Joey had bushy, dirty blonde hair on his head which extended down over his eyebrows. He had a blue coat on similar to the one Yugi wore and a white T-shirt to wear under it. Tristan had brown hair that was arranged to form a spike pointing up and outward. He wore a brown motorcycle gang-like jacket and also a white T-shirt underneath. Both of them used to be bullies to Yugi in the past, but that changed when they took notice of Yugi's kind heart and they changed theirs, too.

But that wasn't really important now.

"Aww, man! Dis is getting really old!" Joey complained with his thick Brooklyn accent. "Ya win one stinking tournament and all da world wants a piece of ya!"

"I can see what you're saying, buddy!" Tristan concurred, his breath becoming short. "Don't these guys ever get a hint or something!? There's no way that even a hundred Duelists can beat a guy like Yugi! So what's the point!?"

"The point is, guys, that it's the size of the crowd that they were all depending on!" Tea yelled, joining in on the two with their conversation. "Didn't you guys hear them before!? They said they were all gonna Duel Yugi and they said they wanted him to play against all of them! They even said that Yugi had to keep using his Deck until he either beat all of them or if he ran out of cards! Don't you think that's a more reasonable explanation!?"

"Well, when you put it that way..." Tristan said flatly.

"C'mon! There's no way dose bozos would ever beat my pal in a Duel!" Joey exclaimed proudly. "Yugi's da strongest Duelist I know, and I know dat for a fact! It doesn't matter if there was five, ten or evn a hundred Duelists who'd challenge my pal! Yugi would cream da livin' daylights outta dem into next Tuesday! Then they'd hafta find another change of underwear knowin' dat there was no point in challengin' one of da best Duelists in the world!"

"Kind of like when you Dueled Kaiba and lost during Battle City?" Tristan remarked.

"HEY! Watch what you're sayin' in front me, Tristan! I'm not da one who snuck into my sister's hospital room just because he had a crush on her!"

"You're lucky that I was even there to protect Serenity in her Duel against that stinking suit!" Tristan argued. "If it weren't for me protecting, your sister would've been a meat puppet for the Big Five and she would've ended up a monkey, too!"

"And I bet ya enjoyed bein' a monkey held in her arms, haven't ya, Casanova!?"

"Are you calling me a playboy!?"

"I ain't callin' ya for dinner!"

"That's it! How about we settle this with a real Duel right here and now!?"

"No cards and only fisticuffs!? You've read my mind, Casanova!"

The two growling Duelists butt their foreheads together, glaring at each other while they kept their running pace, not seeing what was ahead of them. Tea huffed to herself, clearly ticked by Joey and Tristan's childish behavior. "Boys..." she muttered to herself. "You just can't live with them, but you can't live without them, either!"

Tea turned back to the bickering boys and snapped. "How can the two of you fight at a time like this!? There's a whole mob of Duelists that's been after us for half an hour and you two are going at each other like a couple of children! Get over yourselves and keep running, NOW!"

Joey and Tristan shrunk back under Tea's volume, shrinking further under her hardened glare. "Sorry..." the two said in unison.

"Focus, you guys!" Yugi yelled back. "We need to find a safe hiding place for the time being so that this whole mob blows over!" Yugi jerked his head back and forth, scanning the area around for any possible hiding places where he and his friends could lay low. He couldn't hide in his grandfather's game shop; that would be the first place they would look. It needed to be a place where they could hide away from plain sight, somewhere where the mob never thought to stop and look before they gave up and moved on.

That was when Yugi spotted an empty alleyway on his right, filled with discarded junk and dual garbage bins big enough to hide a whole person inside. It was a perfect hiding place; unsanitary but perfect. "Guys, in here!" Yugi shouted. "Quickly!"

Yugi and his friends quickly veered off into the alleyway, quickly settling into their hiding places. Joey and Tristan jumped into the dual garbage bins, the lids slamming shut with a loud BANG! Yugi was short enough to hide underneath a wooden window shutter, using the trash bags to cover himself and used the cracks of the shutters to peer through. Tea quickly hid herself underneath a pile of garbage bags, much to her chagrin, and kept her face slightly less visible.

With the gang hidden out of sight, they watched as most of the mob came barreling through the road. Some of the mob stayed behind, knowing very well that the area they stopped was the last place they saw Yugi and his friends. Most of the slightly smarter Duelists looked around, narrow eyes and craving Yugi's title like a vampire to blood.

"Hey! Where'd he go!?"

"He just disappeared!"

"Just like him to run away and hide like a scared kid!"

"He's still around here, I know! Spread out and find him!"

Silently, the gang swallowed a nervous lump in their throats. "Huh, boy. This ain't gonna be good," Joey whispered. "If they find us hidin' in here, then it's gonna be lights out for us."

"Yeah? Well maybe they won't find us in here if one of us has to keep quite," Tristan whispered back.

"Hey, I'm just pointin' out our current situation here. Dere's no need to sound like a pessimist, Tristan."

"Just who do you think you're calling a-"

"Sshhh! Guys!" Tea shushed. "Keep it down, guys! Someone might hear you!"

"Hey! I thought I heard something over here!"

The gang froze with shock as a random Duelist shouted over to his fellow mob Duelists. Just as Murphy's Law dictated, the Duelist had heard Tea shushing Joey and Tristan while trying to keep them quiet themselves. The Duelist snuck around the entrance of the alleyway and tiptoed towards where Yugi and his friends hid away. The gang once again gulped nervously; they knew they were going to be discovered and there was nothing they could do to stop the inevitable. A few of the Duelists had only made it past the entrance when they heard a young kid shout from the end of the street.

"Hey, I think I saw him! He's making a break towards Domino City!"

"Well, come on, boys! After him!"

The mob screamed in unison then charged down the street, disappearing down the sidewalk and around the corner until their jeering became a dull roar. When the mob was finally gone, Yugi and Tea lifted their hiding spot off of them while Joey and Tristan popped themselves up from the garbage bin. "Oh man. Thank goodness today wasn't garbage day," Joey said, taking a blackened banana peel off of his head and into the waste.

Tristan grimaced. "Ugh, I almost wish today was," he said, plugging his nose to block his friend's unbearable smell. "You literally smell like garbage."

"I do?" Joey turned his face and sniffed a few times, then quickly blocked it with his hands. "I take it back! I wish today was garbage day, too!"

Almost immediately, Joey and Tristan began to gag a little by the unwanted garbage scent before waving it off towards each other. While the two tried to fan away the smell, Yugi and Tea kept their gazes down at the entrance of the alleyway, their faces mixed with confusion and surprise. "That... was strange," Yugi said. "I wonder who it was that led those people away?"

"I'm not sure," Tea said. "But that voice did seem familiar."

"Well, whoever that guy was, I bet he's long gone now."

"I wouldn't say that, Yugi," the same voice said, prompting everyone to turn around and look at the alleyway. "Because the guy who just saved your hides is closer than you think."

The boy that Yugi and his friends saw was none other than Mokuba Kaiba, the younger brother of Yugi's arch-rival, Seto Kaiba. He had long black hair extending down his back. A blue-and-teal striped long-sleeve shirt was worn under a buttercream yellow jacket. A Duel Monsters card hung from his neck on a string, which in actuality contained one-half of a photograph of his brother, Seto in his younger years.

Mokuba stood proudly in the middle of the alleyway, a smile plastered on his face as he rubbed the underside of his nose with his finger. "I heard that there was a commotion going on between you and a mob of enraged Duelists so I came to check it out. Who knew I'd find you guys hiding in the dump?"

"Well, it's not like we had any other choice," Joey replied flatly.

"Either way, thanks for the rescue, Mokuba," Yugi said. "If it weren't for you saving me, then everyone would have one angry brother of yours to answer to."

"I guess that's true," Mokuba said, sharing a laugh with Yugi. His laughter then transformed into an evoked look. "Oh, yeah, that reminds me. Seto said to give this to you. Here."

Mokubah pulled out a small white envelope with the "KC" logo of KaibaCorp stamped on the top right corner. Yugi took the envelope and examined it, Joey, Tristan and Tea peering over his shoulder. It was an invitation to a Duel with Seto Kaiba at the Kaiba Dome, something Yugi never got since his first match with the egotistical Duelist.

"Kaiba's challenging Yugi to another Duel?" Joey asked. "C'mon, is this some sort of joke?"

"When it comes to my brother, nothing is any sort of joke," Mokuba said before turning to Yugi. "Also, he told me to tell you that he's doing something quite different in your next Duel."

"Something different? Like what?" Yugi asked.

"I don't know. Seto never really gave me the specifics on the Duel, but he'll explain once we get to the Kaiba Dome." Mokuba lifted a walkie-talkie from his other pocket and turned it on, bringing it close to his face. "We've got him, Roland. Bring the limo around."

No sooner after Mokuba gave the order that a black stretch limousine pulled up to the entrance of the alleyway, the rear of the vehicle stopping where a door was visible. The door opened to reveal Roland, one of the Kaiba's brother's bodyguards step out and show the King of Games the empty room inside, big enough to hold up to ten people inside. Joey and Tristan both hooted with an "oooh" and looked at each other with an impish smile.

"Alright! Dat's what I'm talkin' about!" Joey exclaimed.

"We're traveling in style, baby!" Tristan concurred.

Joey and Tristan began to dash towards the open limo door but stopped when Roland stepped in their way. "I'm sorry, boys, but Mr. Kaiba specifically asked that Yugi must come alone and no one else."

"HUH!?"

"Mr. Kaiba specifically ordered that only Yugi Muto must Duel him and Duel him alone," Roland explained. "This is a private Duel held only at the Kaiba Dome. He said that no one, not you, your friends or any family member of Yugi Muto are allowed to witness the Duel under the penalty of being banned from all or future Kaiba Land Duel Tournaments. Again, I apologize for the inconvenience, but I am under orders to ensure that the Duel stays private from the public."

"WHAT!?" Joey shouted as he pounced at Roland. Tristan quickly gripped him at the stomach area while Tea held him beck at the front. Despite their best to keep Joey's temper at bay, it still didn't stop him from trying to give ROland the beating of a lifetime. "Dat's not fair! How come we hafta stay out of Kaiba Land and twiddle our thumbs while Yugi hasta Duel dat sleazeball in some locked dome!? Dat ain't fair at all!"

"Joey! Stop this right now!" Tea barked.

"Yeah, Joey! You don't want us to get banned already, do you!?" Tristan shouted over the blonde's snarling.

"It's alright, Joey. I can handle Kaiba myself," Yugi said. The blonde Duelist's snarling died down almost instantly as Yugi walked towards him, Tristan and Tea, smiling. "The reason why Kaiba wants me to Duel in private is because he wants me to Duel without the support from you guys. He's trying to test how I can Duel without you guys cheering me on from the sidelines. Personally, I also think that it's a bit cowardly myself.

"However..." Yugi showed the back of his right hand to his friends, his smile becoming more determined. "What he doesn't know is that we already share a bond with each other. The ink may have washed off, but we've never forgotten the circle of friendship that brought us together."

Joey, Tristan and Tea all held up the backs of their right hands and smiled. In that moment, they remembered the smiley face Tea drew on their hands with a washable marker before Yugi's first match with Kaiba. With this smiley face, they all pitched in spiritually help Yugi in his match against Pegasus in the final Duelist Kingdom Duel and now they could always support him spiritually with this Duel.

With a smile on his face, Yugi climbed in the limousine, Mokuba following him inside before Roland shut the door. Then the bodyguard made it to the driver's side of the limo before the vehicle pulled away from the alleyway and down to Kaiba Land. Joey, Tristan and Tea all watched as the limo disappeared from sight. As it did, Joey sported an impish grin and giggled mischievously which began to worry his other two friends.

"Joey? Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?" Tristan asked worriedly.

"You're seriously not thinking about sneaking into the Kaiba Dome now, aren't you?" Tea asked.

"Doy," Joey said. "But it's gonna be worth it, guys. I just can't wait ta see da reaction on that Kaiba creep's face when Yugi clobbers him big time."

"Yeah, but think of the consequences, Joey," Tristan said. "If you get caught, then we won't be allowed inside Kaiba Land when they open up a new tournament there."

Joey snickered and rubbed his thumb under his nose. "Don't worry about it, guys. Jus' leave da sneakin' ta me."

* * *

KaibaCorp.

One of the world's most prestigious and biggest corporations that towered over the city of Domino. This was the corporation that not only invented holographic technologies that brought the monsters, Spells and Trap cards to life, but was run by one of the most powerful Duelists in the world: Seto Kaiba. The adopted son of previous CEO and tyrannical founder, Gozaburo Kaiba, Seto and his brother, Mokuba had reinvented this war machine creating company to that of the world's biggest entertainment industry, noted for their involvement in creating Duel Arenas and Duel Disks for the Duel Monsters game. Though the company has also held many vast tournaments and created theme parks around the world themed around Duel Monsters (although it mostly revolved around his strongest monster, "The Blue-Eyes White Dragon"), the CEO and leader of KaibaCorp had made a name for himself.

Seto Kaiba was a man revered by many as one of the strongest Duel Monsters players around. His stoic, intimidating face matched well with his ego and his pride of being the strongest Duelist around. Most of the time, the brown-haired CEO of KaibaCorp wore a white sleeveless jacket with his company's logos on both sides of his collar, black studs around the raised shoulder pads. A black long-sleeved shirt worn had two pairs of belts on each upper arm and two other similar pairs on his shins. Around his neck hung a Duel Monster card-shaped locket with other half of a photograph of Mokuba inside.

To all who knew Seto Kaiba better than just a previous Duel Monsters champion, it wasn't exactly an okay name. The first time he made a move against Yugi was when he desired his grandfather's fourth copy of the "Blue-Eyes White Dragon." All that changed after his first defeat to Yugi by the infinite powers of "Exodia" and when Pegasus humiliated him and sealed his soul inside of a blank card. Rarely were the times when Kaiba wanted to team up with his Number One rival or even express gratitude to him when they got out of a serious jam. Although, it was thanks to their rare team-ups that they defeated the Rare Hunters, escaped Gozaburo Kaiba's virtual world and helped save the world from the forces of Yami Marik. All Kaiba did was toss Yugi his "Fiend's Sanctuary" Spell Card against "The Winged Dragon of Ra."

On the outside, Kaiba seemed intimidating and egocentric, but on the inside... well, he was still intimidating and egocentric. But on the inside, he also has a soft spot for his brother, and he had half of a photograph of him hanging from his neck to prove it. Even his trust in Yugi had risen only by a little, but he still would try anything to reclaim his title as Duel Monsters Champion. Whether it was threatening to jump off of a castle tower or hold a tournament mean only for him to face off against Yugi, Kaiba would pull off any stunt but failed in the end.

Battle City was no different from all the other stunts.

Today, this Duel was no different, either.

Now Kaiba was staring out the window, over the entire city, reflecting the Duel between him and Yugi at the semi-finals of the Battle City tournament. The holographic Colosseum filled with screaming holographic fans as the battle between two powerful Duelists were heated up, cheering Kaiba's and Yugi's name. Kaiba had played "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon", while Yugi had "Dark Magician," "Buster Blader" and Joey Wheeler's "Red-Eyes B. Dragon" on his field. It was very soon after that Yugi countered his strategy by using the exact same strategy to fuse "Dark Magician" and "Buster Blader" to Fusion Summon the winning monster, "Dark Paladin." What happened afterwards had forever changed his life.

* * *

_"Now, my dragon! Attack!"_

_Upon acting on its master's orders, the "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon" reared each of its three separate heads and formed a ball of white lightning in their fanged maws before they shot them into one final attack. The dragon's beam of white were combined into one devastating ray of destruction and made a straight shot to Yugi's Life Points. It seemed like victory was finally in Kaiba's grasp, when..._

_"Now I activate 'Magic Formula!'" Ygui shouted as his face-down Spell was flipped face-up._

_"How pathetic," Kaiba remarked. "I activate 'Absorb Spell!'"_

_Yugi gasped as Kaiba explained his card's effect. "This Magic Card will absorb the power of 'Magic Formula.' Therefore, the Attack Points you've just added to your 'Dark Paladin' will be added to my 'Ultimate Dragon!'" The purple aura around "Dark Paladin" reverted back to red as the Spellcaster's ATK was reduced to 3900, while the points were added to Kaiba's "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon." (4500 - 5000/3800)._

_"His 'Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon' is completely unstoppable!" Yugi screamed in his head while Kaiba laughed to his shock._

_"Now you're history, along with your 'Red-Eyes' and 'Dark Paladin, the Ultimate Magical Swordsman!' Farewell!"_

_The 'Ultimate Dragon's' attack reached to Yugi's monsters, but was mysteriously blocked out by an unknown forcefield. Yami Marik stood by commenting the Duel was over while Yugi's friends rushed out into the stadium and called out his name. Kaiba wore a triumphant face as he assumed the outcome of this long, hard-fought Duel. "I win."_

_"I wouldn't be so sure of that!" Yugi shouted, causing Kaiba's grin to fall. "Remember, I still have one face-down card left! Kaiba, you're done!"_

_"You lie!" Kaiba snarled._

_"As you will soon see, I was destined to defeat you for 5,000 years!"_

_"Enough! My 'Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon' cannot be stopped, Yugi!"_

_"I'm afraid you're wrong, but I'll let my cards speak for itself! So I play this!" Yugi waved his arm as his final face-down card was activated. "My 'De-Fusion' card!"_

_Kaiba grit his teeth, his eyes growing bloodshot as Yugi explained the effect of "De-Fusion." "This Magic card splits up your 'Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon' into the three original dragons you used to form it, thus stopping your attack!" Kaiba could only watch blankly as the "De-Fusion" Quick-Play Spell Card created a yellowish aura, which in turn, caused the three-headed dragon's body to glow and roar in response._

_"No! I need my 'Ultimate Dragon' to win the Duel!" Kaiba thought as his three "Blue-Eyes White Dragons" (3000/2500) appeared in the place where their fused form used to be. "This can't be happening!"_

_The forcefield protecting the "Dark Paladin" and the "Red-Eyes B. Dragon" shattered. "Now, Kaiba! You have three dragons instead of one!" Yugi said as he clenched his fist. "And since my 'Dark Paladin' receives 500 points for every dragon on the field, (Dark Paladin: 2900 - 4900/2400) he's now the strongest monster in play! Now, it's time for my final move!"_

_"Just go."_

_"With pleasure, Kaiba," Yugi said as he drew his winning card. "Alright, the card in my hand will now conquer the darkness surrounding your heart! So, I play my final Magic Card, 'Diffusion Wave-Motion! You're finished! All I have to do is give up a thousand Life Points and this Magic Card will enhance the attacking capabilities of my 'Dark Paladin!' Now my monster can attack all three of your 'Blue-Eyes White Dragons' at once!"_

_Kaiba stood motionlessly as a single thought ran through his head. "His 'Dark Paladin has enough power to wipe out my dragons and my Life Points!"_

_"This Duel is over!" Yugi said as his Life Points dropped to 500. (YUGI: 1500 - 500) The Spellcaster raised its scepter-sword and gave a shout as an orb of light formed at the tip. Kaiba reeled back in shock while Yugi stood on his field, ready for the final blow to come._

_"Yugi, I will not be defeated in my own tournament!"_

_"You're too late! 'Dark Paladin,' attack!"_

_Finally, the supercharged sword-scepter gathered enough light to send out shockwaves of light towards Kaiba's field. The 'BLue-Eyes White Dragons' all gave a roar before the shockwaves sliced through their white scales and they shattered into dust. Kaiba watched in horror as his Life Points finally dropped to zero._

_The lights and the flying debris ceased. Kaiba looked in unexplained shock and Mokuba dropped to his knees, his eyes leaking with tears. Yugi's friends cheered and Yami Marik sneered as Yugi stated the obvious. "You lose, Kaiba. I told you your hatred and your lust of power would never prevail."_

* * *

That was the most humiliating moment in his life.

Despite coming in second for defeating Joey Wheeler in a Duel, Kaiba couldn't live that moment down. But today was going to be different. As he recalled, Yugi told him he used too much power and had a hunger for it, too. As much as his head ached from those accursed words ringing through his skull, Kaiba seemed inspired by that statement. With a few run simulations and a couple employees fired for giving him the same disappointing result, Kaiba knew what he had to do. The inspiration from Yugi would bring him down the road to victory.

Kaiba's contemplating was drawn by the brief sound of static from his jacket collar.

_"Mr. Kaiba, sir. Yugi Muto is currently en route to the Kaiba Dome. We'll have your ride out in front of the building in five."_

Kaiba humphed. He turned and grabbed his briefcase full of Rare and Ultra Rare cards and walked out of his office door, heading towards his personal elevator. Pushing the button to ground floor, Kaiba watched as the elevator's doors closed and his elevator descended down to the destined floor. In all that time, Kaiba used it to give himself an opportunity to think.

_"Yugi, when you took away my one chance to reclaim my title, you also took away my glory and the only chance to move on from my past. All you ever lectured me afterwards were fairy tales about sharing a bond with your peanut gallery and believing in yourself and in the so-called 'Heart of the Cards.'"_

The elevator doors opened and Kaiba walked through the main lobby to the main entrance, the secretaries bowing to him in respect as he made his way to the entrance doors. The doormen opened the doors for Kaiba and outside was a white stretch limo and his bodyguard, Kemo awaiting him with the door open. Kaiba slipped inside and Kemo shut the door before taking the driver seat before pulling the limo out of the circle and into the streets of Domino.

Kaiba reached into his Deck Box and pulled out his Deck. He turned it upside down and the bottom card was revealed to be the "Blue-Eyes White Dragon." _"Everything will all change soon in this Duel, Yugi,"_ Kaiba thought, smirking. _"Once I defeat you in this Duel, I will reclaim my title and show you how pathetic your faith in your fairy tales really are."_

Kaiba let out a snicker, which followed with a near-maniacal laugh.

He could tell... this was going to be a good day.

* * *

Yugi stood inside of the Kaiba Dome, on one side of the field. The outside of of the Kaiba Dome resembled the head of a "Blue-Eys White Dragon," though that didn't really come to a surprise to everyone. They all knew how much the building reflected off of Seto Kaiba's signature dragon. Nevertheless, the inside of the Kaiba Dome was as big as an American football stadium. Bleachers surrounded the massive field, a balcony propped up and hidden above the field and the bleachers. Four large flat-screen TVs were installed each on a different side of the stadium for all to see and a large dome roof covered the building, closed off for privacy. The only thing lit up in this dome were the lights installed on the balconies.

On the other side of the stadium was an empty field, presuming to be where Kaiba was going to make yet another stand against Yugi. The only spectator that stood by watching was Mokuba, who watched from the control tower while he controlled the holographic projections in the dome. There was no sign of Kaiba yet, but Yugi took the time to delve into his mind, to converse with an ethereal spirit who bore a striking resemblance to Yugi.

"According to Mokuba, Kaiba said he was going to something different than our previous Duels. I'm guessing this is another one of his tricks?"

_"Yes, Yugi, I can already tell that this is yet another tactic so he would regain his title as Duel Monsters Champion,"_ the ethereal spirit said in a voice deeper than Yugi's. _"There is no doubt in my mind that Kaiba is trying to push ourselves to the limit without our friends around. We may have Dueled without their support at other times, but I feel this will be different. It's best that we keep our guard up in this match."_

"Right. Who knows what Kaiba has up his sleeve this time?"

As if on cue, Yugi was brought back to reality by the echoing footsteps at the other end of the Dueling field. There, through a puff of theatrical smoke, Kaiba emerged from the curtain, his face stoic and his Duel Disk strapped on his left arm. Yugi narrowed his eyes slightly as Kaiba took his place at the field, then cracked a smirk.

"So, you've decided to come and accept my challenge, after all," Kaiba said nonchalantly. "You know, I wouldn't have taken it personally if you wanted to back down from my challenge. But then again, that just would've shown how much of a coward you would've been after these past few months of becoming the King of Games. I guess you can't get what you want after all."

"I never back down from a challenge, Kaiba. You know that as well as I do," Yugi retorted. "Now what was it you wanted to change in our Duel?"

Kaiba snickered with a grin. "Straight to the point, I see. You must be in a real rush to lose this Duel already," he bantered. "Now look, Yugi, I've been thinking a lot since our match in Battle City. You led me to believe that I had both anger a lust for power and I couldn't win any Duel against you. While it pains me to admit this, but I might agree with you; after all, I used too much power and every Duel against you was lost. Which is why today, I've set some handicaps four our Duel."

Yugi blinked. "Handicaps?"

"Is there an echo in here? Yes, Yugi, I am talking about taking out three of the most powerful monsters from our Decks. While we're having or match, none of us are to ever use those cards Duel." Kaiba took out three cards from his Deck and into his hand, the backs only revealed to Yugi. "So, you'll be removing your Egyptian God Cards from the game; but just to keep things fair, I'll be removing three of my 'Blue-Eyes' monsters from the game as well."

Yugi gasped. "You mean I can't use my Egyptian God cards in this Duel?"

"You sound surprised," Kaiba said, smirking. "Don't tell me that the pressure of not using your precious God Cards is getting to you already?"

Yugi looked down to his Duel Disk, a somber expression on his face. It was then that the ethereal spirit of Yami appeared next to Yugi as their environment converted into darkness, the only light shining where the two Yugis stood. _"Don't be discouraged, Yugi,"_ said Yami. _"We have faced off against Kaiba many times without the use of the Egyptian God Cards. It won't stop us from winning this Duel."_

"It's not that," Yugi replied. "It's that now I know Kaiba is up to no good. He wants me to take out my God Cards so he that would have an edge in our Duel. As much as I hate to say this, Yami, but I'm not sure if I can go through with this Duel if Kaiba's planning to use his tricks against us."

_"Then we'll have to play along with his rules for the time being. When the moment comes when Kaiba finally reveals his tricks to us, we'll have to be ready for him."_

Both the timid Yugi and the determined Yugi noded in unison. Then the Millennium Puzzle around Yugi's neck began to glow a bright light and swayed along an invisible wind. The Millennium Puzzle's light finally flashed, and Yugi Muto was transformed into Yami Yugi, a glowing Eye of Wdjat on his forehead disappearing as Yami opened his eyes. The first thing he saw with fierceness in his eyes was Kaiba, who remained stoic as Yugi pointed his finger at him.

"Alright, Kaiba, I'll play along with your little game," Yami Yugi said. "But remember, I'll be keeping a close eye on you just in case you try any trickery against me." Yugi took out three different colored cards from his Deck, the red one being "Slifer the Sky Dragon," the blue one "Obelisk the Tormentor" and the yellow one "The Winged Dragon of Ra." Yugi took the three cards and placed them in his empty Deck Box as he took his Deck and placed it in his Duel Disk.

"Don't worry about that, Yugi," Kaiba replied, smiling suspiciously. "I'll be sure to play fair with you in this Duel." Kaiba took the three cards he took out and set them in his empty Deck Box. After that was done, Kaiba and Yugi players turned on their Duel Disks, where the blades of the Disks jutted outwards, connected with each other and jutted back into the disk in the area just in front of the Graveyard. A glow of yellow light illuminated around the red arrows and the borders of the Monster Zones. Then both players drew their five cards and looked at each other with a burning rivalry in their eyes.

"Now then, Kaiba, you what happens next!" Yugi shouted. "It's time to Duel!"

"Go ahead and give me what you got!" Kaiba shouted back.

"I intend to! Now let's go!"

While the two Duelists prepared for their match, unbeknownst to them, a door had opened somewhere in the metallic rafters. Sneaking in through the poorly guarded door was Joey, who grinned mischievously as his plan was starting to fall through. Following him was the reluctant duo of Tristan and Tea, who both shared an uncertain expression as they slowly closed the door to the outside world, shutting it without making an echo of sound. As per the plan to watch Yugi and Kaiba Duel from out of sight, Joey decided that the rafters where the lights shone down on the two Duelists was the perfect hiding place. The lights would be too bright for them to look at so they would never think twice about looking up towards the ceiling.

To Joey it was the perfect plan; to Tea and Tristan, it was just one breath away from a total disaster.

"Joey, you tried to pull off dumber stunts before, but this one takes the cake," Tristan said in a dull roar.

Joey proudly rubbed his finger under his nose and snickered. "Aw, c'mon, Tristan. Don't tell me you're all gonna chicken out on me now, are ya?"

"It's not that, Joey," Tea argued. "If Kaiba or his bodyguards find us all the way up here, then they'll have us kicked out of Kaiba Land for good."

"Don't worry your pretty little head off, Tea," Joey snidely remarked. "Dis balcony is so high up and surrounded by lights dat Kaiba and his creeps won't even know we're here." Joey then looked down over the balcony and watched as Yugi and Kaiba prepared themselves for their umpteenth Duel. "Besides, dere's no way I'd miss Duel for da whole world. Yugi needs our support an' we're gonna give it to him."

"But what if we get spotted up here?"

"Trust me, Tea, gettin' caught would be da least of our worries. All dat matters now is rottin' for Yugi while's cleaning da floor with dat Kaiba' creep." Joey looked back up to Tea and Tristan, a confident smiled etched on his face. "Besides, if Yugi's found himself in quite a tight jam, then I'm more dan willing to risk not going to dat Kaiba creep's tournaments by cheering him on for support. Dat's what friends were made ta do: ta stick their necks out for their friends in order ta help dem out in some way or another.

"After all, who was dere for Yugi when he had ta Duel against Pegasus, or Marik, or dat little Noah creep inside dat virtual world?" Joey asked, continuing his pep talk. He pointed his finger to Tristan and Tea before pointing his thumb at himself. "We were all dere for him. Sure, we may not have been dere ta support Yugi when he face off against 'Slifer the Sky Dragon,' but we've been dere for him when he really needed his help. Dat's why we're here ta support him and dat's why you all came with me to Kaiba Land."

Tea and Tristan looked at each other with wondrous, blank faces. They had to admit it, Joey did bring up some valid points. The only reason they tagged along with Joey, despite being reluctant to do so was because deep down, they needed to support Yugi as much as Joey did. Knowing they couldn't argue with that logic, Tea and Tristan leaned over the railing of the rafters, smiling while doing so.

"Well, if it's Yugi you're trying to help out, then don't try and leave me out of the action," Tristan said. "Go get him, Yugi!"

"Do your best, Yugi," Tea said, smiling. "We're all here rooting for you."

While the three trespassers silently cheered for Yugi from the rafters, Yugi and Kaiba stared at each other just like how semi-bitter rivals did: with determination and intense focus. Without another moment of hesitation, Yugi and Kaiba said two common starting words in unison, the mantra to the beginning of a great and glorious Duel Monsters match.

"LET'S DUEL!"

* * *

The Duel had transitioned to an unspecified turn, but it was Kaiba's move. Both Yugi and Kaiba were neck and neck in the Duel, neither of them willing to give up on their Dueling skills, even when backed up against the wall. On Kaiba's field were three face-down Spell or Trap Cards and a powerful Machine-Type Fusion Monster called the "XYZ-Dragon Cannon," (2800/2600), a robot consisting of "X-Head Cannon," "Y-Dragon Head" and "Z-Metal Tank" all attached to each other.

On Yugi's field was his best monster, the legendary "Dark Magician," (2500/2100) a Spellcaster-Type Monster wearing a tall, pointy, purple hat and layers of armor around his chest and on his legs, a dark indigo cloth wrapped around his torso stretching down between its clad legs and long purple hair. In his Spell and Trap Zones were three face-down cards, a trick which he kept on a rainy day.

Finally, watching the Duel from afar or above was Joey, Tristan, Tea and Mokuba. So far, they managed to cheer for their friend on without being seen or heard from the rafters. Their hearts were pounding from the intensity of the Duel leaving them holding on to the edge of their seats. It was only on Kaiba's turn that that same intensity flowed through the Kaiba Dome as he declared an attack with his Machine Monster.

"'XYZ-Dragon Cannon!' Attack Yugi's 'Dark Magician' with Cannon Firestorm!"

On Kaiba's command, the "XYZ-Dragon Cannon" lit its cannons up with a yellow light while a crackle of blue lightning formed in the mouth of the red mechanical dragon. With it, the cannons fired and the lightning was shot directly towards Yugi's "Dark Magician," which the Spellcaster stoically braced itself as the firestorm approached it. But then...

"Not so fast, Kaiba!" Yugi shouted. "I activate the Trap Card, 'Mirror Force!'" Suddenly, a clear, transparent wall appeared in front of the "Dark Magician" which blocked the cannon's attack. Afterwards, the energy from the attack began to reflect and bounce back to "XYZ-Dragon Cannon." "Now my reflective barrier redirects your attacks to your monster and destroys all monsters you control in Attack Mode!"

"Keep trying, Yugi!" Kaiba replied, revealing a Quick-Play Spell in his hand. "I activate the magic of 'De-Fusion!'" Suddenly, the "Dragon Cannon" Fusion Monster was enveloped in light and separated into three just before its own energy blast made contact with its own attacker. "This card splits up my 'XYZ-Dragon Cannon' and lets me summon the three Monsters used to Summon it! So I bring back 'X-Head Cannon' (1800/1500), 'Y-Dragon Head' (1500/1600) and 'Z-Metal Tank!' (1500/1300)"

The three aforementioned machines appeared on the field in face-up Defense Position, a strategic way to avoid "Mirror Force's" effect. "But I'm not done, Yugi!" Kaiba shouted. "Next I activate the Trap Card, 'Ring of Destruction! This card allows me to destroy 'X-Head Cannon' and we both take damage equal to its Attack Points!"

"What!? But that will mean that we'll both take 1800 points of damage!" Yugi deduced.

"Exactly!" Kaiba pointed his finger up in the air shouted another command. "'Ring of Destruction,' attach yourself to my 'X-Head Cannon!'" Suddenly, the ring appeared from the card's artwork, consisting of a metallic ring attached with studs of blazing fire. It attached itself to the neck of the head of "X-Head Cannon" and began to glow white.

"And now I play my other face-down! 'Ring of Defense!'" After revealing the face-down, the card disappeared and its place was another metallic ring attached with emerald green blades, decorated with curling gold markings and centered with a red jewel at each marking. "Since I activated a Trap Card that inflicts damage to myself, this ring will protect me from the blast and leaves you taking the damage itself! Say goodbye to 1800 of your Life Points, Yugi!"

"I don't think so, Kaiba! Go, 'Mystical Refpanel!'" A beautiful, mystical mirror appeared on Yugi's side of the field, held by a violent winged elf with lavender-toned skin and long indigo hair. "Now that you activated a Spell that targets yourself, this mystical mirror reflects that effect and is applied to me!"

Kaiba's expression turned to shock. "Oh no!"

"Oh yes, Kaiba! Take a good look at the mirror!" Suddenly, in the reflection of the mirror, the "Ring of Defense" card appeared in the glass, which glowed to reveal the same ring while the one on Kaiba's field disappeared in a white light. "My 'Mystical Refpanel' is now a reflection in this magic mirror; and thanks to that mirror, the effect of your ring will protect me from your ring's blast! Now you'll be the one who will take your own Trap's damage!"

Kaiba reeled back as the ring exploded along with his "X-Head Cannon." The explosion reached Kaiba which literally knocked him back on the ground and grunted as he felt his Life Points drop by 1800. The only monsters left on his field were "Y-Dragon Head" and "Z-Metal Tank" and those two weren't enough to defeat the "Dark Magician." When the smoke cleared, Kaiba saw Yugi standing stoically, the "Ring of Defense" spinning like a fan and averting the blast away with its protecting barrier. Kaiba grunted as he tried and struggled to stand up on his feet, which worried Mokuba in the control tower as he saw his brother stagger from the blast.

"Seto!" Mokuba yelled, shocked by his brother's losing become imminent.

Up above on the rafters, Joey and Tristan cheered in an indoor voice which went unheard by everyone down below while Tea exhaled happily by Yugi's pull ahead towards victory.

"Alright. Dat's da Yugi I know and love," Joey said. "Way ta go, Yug!"

"You've got Kaiba on the ropes now, buddy!" Tristan cheered. "Keep on creamin' him!"

"If Yugi is able to keep this Duel up, then he might be able to win this Duel," Tea stated. "Do your best, Yugi!"

Yugi kept watch on Kaiba as the "Ring of Defense" disappeared into oblivion. The King of Games saw Kaiba's eyes glimmering with a fury, even to the point of him growling like a mad animal. "Now do you see, Kaiba? No matter what stunt you will try, no matter how much your desire to rise to the top overcomes yourself, I will always conquer those obstacles and win! But this Duel isn't just about me trying to overcome your obstacles; it's about trying to test how I can Duel without my friends there to support me!"

Yugi looked down to his Duel Disk which he raised with his arm up to his chest. "After all, the only reason you challenged me to this Duel was to see how I can Duel without anyone else here to cheer me on! What you have not counted on is that I always win, Kaiba, is the bond I share with my friends and my faith in the Heart of the Cards! No matter what you try and do in this Duel, you will never succeed in taking away my faith in my friends and in my Deck!"

"Oh stow it, Yugi! Don't you dare lecture me about believing in friends and in my cards!" Kaiba snapped. "All of your little pep talks and lectures about having faith in the so-called Heart of the Cards started out as nothing but a fairy tale that was only meant to put little children like yourself to sleep!" Kaiba then looked up to Yugi; the latter gasped lightly, seeing Kaiba's eyes bloodshot with pure rage as he continued to berate him.

"Well, let me tell you the horrible truth, Yugi! I don't have any friends to rely on! The only person I've ever relied on in this cruel, unforgiving world was myself and I always will be the man I relied on to come out on top here! Yugi, you have no right to tell me to believe in some mumbo-jumbo your grandfather told you about! _There is no such thing as the Heart of the Cards!_ It's just a delusion made up by you and your old man because you drew a lucky card!"

Mokuba felt himself gasp; never had he seen Kaiba this angry since he lost the Battle City, especially when his arch-rival told him to believe in a fantasy he never believed in himself. "Seto..."

Yugi sighed. "You're wrong about one thing, Kaiba! There is one person you can rely on, and that's Mokuba!" he said, pointing to the little form in the control tower. "He's been there for you since the very beginning and has been with you in spirit even if you chose not to accept it. Remember, it was your bond with Mokuba that almost won you that Duel against Pegasus, and even he was shocked to find that out since he read your throughout Battle Kingdom!

"You may not have won that Duel, Kaiba but there was one thing I learned from it. Your dedication to Mokuba is proof enough that you share a deep bind that allowed you to get out of even the thickest of situations!" Mokuba was then left wondrous by Yugi's words: the words of a friend. He couldn't deny that he and Kaiba had a few moments where things got rough, but throughout the years, Seto dedicated to helping his little brother whenever he was in trouble. Even though Seto had failed trying to help him out of tight spots, Mokuba knew he tried his hardest and that was good enough.

"Are you quite done yet?" Kaiba sneered. "Because if you are, I'd like to get back with our Duel now. If you really think you can get into my head with your talk about friendship, then you are sorely mistaken. Because I have a card in my hand that will guarantee my victory on my next turn!"

"A card to ensure your victory? What are you...?" Then something Yugi clicked, and it drove him to shock. "No! Don't tell me that card is-!"

Kaiba cracked a wicked smile, then followed with a sinister snicker that grew exponentially with a bursting laugh. "Oh, it is, Yugi! This is the very card that has been the biggest obstacle of your whole Dueling career! But first, I sacrifice my 'Y-Dragon Head' and my 'Z-Metal Tank' so I can Summon out my all-powerful monster!" Kaiba took the two Monsters from his Monster Zones and sent them to his Graveyard, but in their place, he slapped down his best Monster. "Rise, my 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon!'"

Yugi, his hidden spectators and Mokuba all gasped as "Y-Dragon Head" and "Z-Metal Tank" both disappeared from Kaiba's field. Then a pillar of light appeared behind Kaiba and a shadow formed of a lizard-like monster with wings. Emerging from that shining light was a draconic creature, made up of pure white scales and blue eyes. Upon appearing, the dragon bellowed a roar, one that literally shook the entirety of the Kaiba Dome. This was Seto Kaiba's strongest monster: "Blue-Eyes White Dragon." (3000/2500) Everyone gasped in shock as they saw one of Kaiba's "Blue-Eyes" out on the field, and their reactions only made Kaiba laugh harder.

"The 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon'! This can't be for real!" Yugi stammered to himself as he looked shockingly to the ferocious dragon.

"Hey, what's goin' here!?" Tristan said. "Why is Kaiba's dragon on his side of the field!? Didn't he say he took that monster out of play!?"

"I knew it! I knew dat Kaiba creep would go back on his word!" Joey bursted. "He gave his word ta play fair and what does he do!? He plays dirty and summons dat Dragon out ta beat Yugi! I knew dere was somethin' fishy about dis Duel and boy was I right!"

Having listening to Joey's outburst, Tea looked down at Yugi, who was shocked stiff by the unexpected turn of events. "I can't believe he would do something like this," she muttered, her eyes glimmering. "Yugi, please be careful."

Yugi looked down to Kaiba, who snickered at Yugi's flabbergasted face as he gazed at his most powerful Dragon. "Explain yourself, Kaiba! You gave me your word you wouldn't use any of your 'Blue-Eyes White Dragons' during this Duel! How could you go back on your word!?"

Kaiba burst out with laughter again, this time at Yugi's gullibility. "If you thought I went back on my word, then you're a bigger fool than I thought, Yugi! If you recall correctly, I said I'd remove three of my 'Blue-Eyes' from the game." As he spoke, Kaiba took out his three cards he removed from his Deck Box and held them up to Yugi, backs revealed. "I never said they had to be my 'Blue-Eyes White Dragons.'"

Kaiba then revealed his cards, which to everyone's absolute shock and horror were two of his "Blue-Eyes White Dragons" and their powerful Fusion Monster, "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon." Once more, everyone but Kaiba gasped at the shocking turn of events. Their reactions once more made Kaiba laugh near manically while Mokuba began to tear up; his brother would never pull of this trick like this! He gave his word he would play fair and not cheat, he really did! This was not the Seto he knew and loved!

"Yugi, did you really think I would let you Duel me without the use of my 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon!?" Kaiba shouted. "I told you I would remove three of my 'Blue-Eyes Dragons' and my 'Ultimate Dragon' along with them! It was as you said, Yugi, I used too much power and that was why I couldn't most of my Duels against you! So now, I'll be holding back my full strength against you and win this Duel with only one 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon!' This way, I will finally be able to defeat you and reclaim my title as the Best Duelist in the World and I only did by holding back my power!"

"Hold on, so this was what all of this about!?" Yugi asked. "You're really trying to defeat me and prove you can do it by holding back all of your power!?"

"Exactly!" Kaiba replied. "And to do that, I needed to get rid of my other 'Blue-Eyes Dragons' while you had to get rid of your Egyptian God Cards! Now that my 'Blue-Eyes' is out on the field, there is a very slim chance of you actually winning this Duel!" Clenching his fist, Kaiba threw his head back and laughed a bit, not knowing that his saddened brother was watching him become episodical.

When the egotistical Duelist's laughter waned, Yugi laid his arms down to his sides and sighed. "I feel sorry for you, Kaiba," he said, grabbing his rival's attention. "While you were trying once more to usurp my title, you resorted to trickery instead of fighting with all of your honor and your heart." Yugi then lifted his finger and pointed it at Kaiba. "But now that you have foolishly revealed your tricks, Kaiba, I have now the perfect formula to defeat you once and for all!"

"You lie!" Kaiba yelled.

"I never lie, Kaiba, and I never cheat!" Yugi replied. "But what I do have is one part of a strategy that will ensure that my 'Dark Magician' will obliterate your 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon!' All I have to do is believe in my Deck and draw the right card, and then you will have no other monsters to protect you, Kaiba!"

"Oh give me a break, Yugi! I've heard enough of your delusions about the 'Heart of the Cards!'" Kaiba retorted. "That is nothing but a fable, a myth that only a sad, strange little man like your grandfather could come up with! Face it, Yugi, everything you believe in, living a past life as a Pharaoh, believing in your deck and drawing the right card!? It's all a dumb fairy tale you hold on to like your life depended on it!"

"Ouch. That's harsh, man," Tristan said, listening in on Kaiba's berating.

"Yeah. Kaiba has no right ta talk about Yugi's grandfather like dat, let alone trick Yugi inta giving up his God Cards," Joey agreed. "For once, I'd like ta see Yugi _literally_ clean da floors with dat sleazeball!"

"Come on, Yugi. Don't give up," Tea muttered.

Yugi brought his Duel Disk up to his chest and prepared to draw his card, placing his fingers on that fateful piece of thin-layered paper. "Kaiba, you may not believe and what I believe, and I can respect that. But when you talk about my friends and my family that way about the stories they share and their morals, that's when I'm ready to take you down! All it will take is one single card and your Dragon is done for!"

"Just go already," Kaiba growled.

"With pleasure!"

Turn ?: Yugi Muto

Yugi relaxed his fingers on the card and closed his eyes. _"This is it. All I have to draw the card I need to defeat his 'Blue-Eyes' and win this Duel. If I can't pick the card I need, then my 'Dark Magician' is a goner and so will I."_ Yugi looked up to the rafters, past the blinding lights where he saw the silhouettes of his friends cheering on for him silently. _"I knew my friends wouldn't sit back and wait while I had to Duel Kaiba, and I knew they would rather risk being banned from Kaiba Land than not be there to support me in my Duels. That's why they snuck into the balcony, and that's why I had to keep silent, because that friends are for. Now that they're here, I can now draw the card I need, all thanks to the support of my friends."_

Yugi drew the card.

He cracked a slight smile, which caught the surprise of his spectators, even Kaiba.

Yugi looked back to Kaiba and played his drawn card. "From my hand, I activate the Equip Spell Card, 'Magic Formula!'" Kaiba grunted in surprise as a locked tome appeared in front of the "Dark Magician." The golden key on the flap turned, and it unlocked the tome and the pages opened, encasing the Spellcaster in a warm, purple glow.

"Now my 'Magic Formula's' magic increases 'Dark Magician's' Attack Points by 500, making it an even match against your Dragon!" "Dark Magician's" eyes opened, both glowing purple as he spun his signature green-tipped orb staff and stood in a battle pose. (Dark Magician: 2500-3000/2100).

"Big deal! If your Magician attacks my Dragon, then both of them will be destroyed at the same time!" Kaiba yelled. "Face the facts, Yugi. You'll be the one without any monsters to protect you on your field!" Then his eyes fell onto Yugi's face-down card. His eyes widened with surprise, knowing exactly what Yugi was planning. "Oh no! Not unless-!"

Yugi smirked. "That's right, Kaiba. What I have face-down is part two of the strategy to defeat your 'Blue-Eyes' White Dragon!' Now it's time for me to show you that you don't need to prove to beat me by holding back all of your power and the terrible price you have to play! Reveal, face-down card!" Yugi lifted his arm as his Trap Card was flipped face-up.

Kaiba gasped. "Oh no! Not 'Dark Illusion!'"

"Oh yes, Kaiba! Now my 'Dark Magician' cannot be destroyed by battle and other cards or effects cannot be activated on the same turn!" Yugi pointed to Kaiba, having a shocked look on his face. "Kaiba! You tried to cheat and lie your way to victory in this Duel and now you're going to face the consequences of your actions! 'Dark Magician!' Attack now! Dark Magic Attack!"

The aforementioned Spellcaster leaped in the air and drew his staff back, letting the green orb on his staff gather up a purple light. Kaiba clenched his fist, a look of outrage decorating his face. "Yugi! I refuse to let my 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon' go out like this! Now my mighty beast, attack with White Lightning!"

Acting on Kaiba's orders, the "Blue-Eyes White Dragon formed a ball of white light in its maw, blue static shocks crackling around the devastating attack. With a roar, the Dragon shot the light out at the "Dark Magician", but the attack was blocked by the purple energy surrounding the magician. Crying a battle cry, the "Dark Magician" thrusted his staff and fired the purple light, colliding with the white lightning, both of them never letting down.

Suddenly, something strange started to happen. As the two lights of each monsters attack pushed into each other, a bright flash of light began to form and quickly expand in the Kaiba Dome. Everyone shielded their eyes from the growing light, grunting in surprise as the two monsters disappeared into that light. "What's going on!?" Kaiba yelled. "KaibaCorp holograms aren't supposed to do that!" As the light made contact with Kaiba, the latter screamed as the bright illumination engulfed him, and his screams instantly faded away into a ghostly echo.

"KAIBA!" Yugi yelled. The light engulfed the King of Games as well, which he screamed in pain while his screams faded away into nothing. Joey, Tristan, Tea and Mokuba all watched in horror as they saw both rival Duelists disappear into the light. They called out their names in shock, not that it mattered. Yugi and Kaiba were the first victims of the light's growing size.

"YUGI!"

"SETO!"

As such, the light engulfed them as well before their reflexes could help them escape from that mysterious veil. Not that it mattered anyway as the Kaiba Dome was swallowed whole by the mysterious light and quickly spread through Domino City. Everyone gasped as they first saw the light expand outward towards the city and watched as the citizens were disappearing one by one into that veil. People screamed in terror and tried to run from the light, only to fail and their screams were nothing but ghostly echoes. Soon the light expanded beyond Domino City. It covered the entire United States, the enitre continent, the oceans and every continent unfortunate to be the light's wake.

In a matter of mere moments, the entire world was quickly covered in light.

Then the light vanished.

All of time and space had disappeared into the Void.

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

FEATURED CARDS

YUGI MUTO'S CARDS

Dark Magician  
(Level 7/DARK/Spellcaster/2500/2100)  
_The ultimate wizard in terms of attack and defense._

Obelisk the Tormentor (Taken out from play)  
(Level 10/DIVINE/Divine-Beast/Effect/4000/4000)  
Requires 3 Tributes to Normal Summon (cannot be Normal Set). This card's Normal Summon cannot be negated. When Normal Summoned, cards and effects cannot be activated. While this card is face-up on the field, this card is also treated as a Warrior-Type monster. Your opponent cannot Tribute this card. Control of this card cannot switch. Cannot be targeted by, or leave the field by, the effects of Spell/Trap Cards and non-DIVINE monsters, except by its own effect. Other card effects are only applied on this card until the End Phase. (This effect cannot be negated.) During the End Phase, if this card was Special Summoned: Send it to the Graveyard. If this card is Special Summoned in face-up Defense Position when an opponent's monster declares an attack, OR if exactly 1 monster you control is targeted by a card effect that could target this card, that attack or card effect now targets this card, instead. During either player's turn: You can Tribute 2 monsters; apply 1 of these effects.  
● Destroy all monsters your opponent controls, and inflict 4000 damage to your opponent. This card cannot declare an attack the turn this effect is activated.  
● This card's ATK becomes ∞ until the End Phase.

Slifer the Sky Dragon (Taken out from play)  
(Level 10/DIVINE/Divine-Beast/Effect/X000/X000)  
Requires 3 Tributes to Normal Summon (cannot be Normal Set). This card's Normal Summon cannot be negated. When Normal Summoned, cards and effects cannot be activated. During the End Phase, if this card was Special Summoned: Send it to the Graveyard. This card's ATK and DEF becomes the number of cards in your hand × 1000. While this card is face-up on the field, this card is also treated as a Dragon-Type monster. Control of this card cannot switch and cannot by targeted by the effects of Trap Cards and Effect Monsters, except by "Obelisk the Tormentor" and "The Winged Dragon of Ra". The effect of "Obelisk the Tormentor" and Spell Cards can only affect this card for one turn. This card cannot be removed from the field by the effects of Spell Cards. When a monster(s) is Normal or Special Summoned to your opponent's side of the field in face-up Attack Position: That monster(s) loses 2000 ATK, then if its ATK has been reduced to 0 as a result, destroy it.

The Winged Dragon of Ra (Taken out from play)  
(Level 10/DIVINE/Divine-Beast/Effect/?/?)  
Requires 3 Tributes to Normal Summon (cannot be Normal Set). This card's Normal Summon cannot be negated. The ATK and DEF of this card becomes the sum of the respective ATK and DEF values of the Tributes. While face-up on the field, this card is unaffected by other card effects, including the effects of "Obelisk the Tormentor" and "Slifer the Sky Dragon". While this card is face-up on the field, it cannot be targeted by Spells, Traps, or monsters that designate a target. If this card is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, you can activate the following effects:  
● This card can attack all monsters your opponent controls once each. If your opponent controls no monsters after this effect resolves; it can attack your opponent directly, even if it has already attacked one or more times this turn.  
● If this card is Summoned in face-up Defense Position when an opponent's monster declares an attack; change the attack target to this card.  
● This card is sent to the Graveyard during the End Phase.  
While this crd is face-up on the field, you can activate the following effects:  
● Pay 1000 Life Points: Destroy all monsters on your opponent's field. This card cannot be destroyed during the End Phase.  
● Pay Life Points until you have only 1 left; increase this card's ATK and DEF by the amount of Life Points paid by this effect. If you use this effect, during either player's turn, you can send 1 "De-Fusion" from your hand or field to the Graveyard; reduce this card's ATK to 0, and if you do, increase your Life Points by the previous ATK.  
● You can Tribute 1 or more monsters on your field; increase this card's ATK equal to the Tributed monster(s) ATK.

Magic Formula  
Equip Spell  
Equip only to a Spellcaster-Type monster. It gains 500 ATK.

Dark Illusion  
Normal Trap  
Target 1 face-up "Dark Magician" you control; that target is unaffected by your opponent's card effects, also, it cannot be destroyed by battle until the End Phase. Immediately after this effect resolves: Your opponent draws 1 card.

Mirror Force  
Normal Trap  
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Destroy all Attack Position monsters your opponent controls.

Mystical Refpanel  
Normal Trap  
Activate only when a Spell Card that targets 1 player is activated. The effect of that Spell Card is applied to the other player instead.

SETO KAIBA'S CARDS

Blue-Eyes White Dragon x 3  
(Level 8/LIGHT/Dragon/3000/2500)  
_This legendary dragon is a powerful engine of destruction. Virtually invincible, very few have faced this awesome creature and lived to tell the tale._

X-Head Cannon  
(Level 4/LIGHT/Machine/1800/1500)  
_A monster with a mighty cannon barrel, it is able to integrate its attacks. It attacks in many ways by combining and separating with other monsters._

Y-Dragon Head  
(Level 4/LIGHT/Machine/Union/Effect/1500/1600)  
Once per turn, you can either: Target 1 "X-Head Cannon" you control; equip this card to that target, OR: Unequip this card and Special Summon it in face-up Attack Position. While equipped by this effect, the equipped monster gains 400 ATK and DEF. (A monster can only be equipped with 1 Union monster at a time. If the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle, destroy this card instead.)

Z-Metal Tank  
(Level 4/LIGHT/Machine/Union/Effect/1500/1300)  
Once per turn, you can either: Target 1 "X-Head Cannon" or "Y-Dragon Head" you control; equip this card to that target, OR: Unequip this card and Special Summon it in face-up Attack Position. While equipped by this effect, the equipped monster gains 600 ATK and DEF. (A monster can only be equipped with 1 Union monster at a time. If the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle, destroy this card instead.)

Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon (Taken out from play)  
(Level 12/LIGHT/Dragon/Fusion/4500/3800)  
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon" + "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" + "Blue-Eyes White Dragon"

XYZ-Dragon Cannon  
(Level 8/LIGHT/Machine/Fusion/Effect/2800/2600)  
"X-Head Cannon" + "Y-Dragon Head" + "Z-Metal Tank"  
Must first be Special Summoned (from your Extra Deck) by sending the above monsters to the Graveyard. (You do not use "Polymerization".) Cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard. This card can be treated as 3 Tributes for a Tribute Summon. You can discard 1 card, then target 1 card your opponent controls; destroy that target.

De-Fusion  
Quick-Play Spell  
Target 1 face-up Fusion Monster on the field; shuffle that target into the Extra Deck, then, if all the Fusion Material Monsters that were used for its Fusion Summon are in your Graveyard, you can Special Summon all of them.

Ring of Defense  
Quick-Play Spell  
When a Trap effect that inflicts damage is activated: Make that effect damage 0.

Ring of Destruction  
Normal Trap  
Target 1 face-up monster on the field; destroy that target, and if you do, inflict damage to both players equal to that target's ATK.

FLASHBACK

Blue-Eyes White Dragon x 3  
LIGHT/Level 8/Dragon/3000/2500  
_This legendary dragon is a powerful engine of destruction. Virtually invincible, very few have faced this awesome creature and lived to tell the tale._

Red-Eyes B. Dragon  
DARK/Level 7/Dragon/2400/2000  
_A ferocious dragon with a deadly attack._

Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon  
LIGHT/Level 12/Dragon/Fusion/4500/3800  
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon" + "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" + "Blue-Eyes White Dragon"

Dark Paladin  
DARK/Level 8/Spellcaster/Fusion/Effect/2900/2400  
"Dark Magician" + "Buster Blader"  
Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. During either player's turn, when a Spell Card is activated: You can discard 1 card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it. This card must be face-up on the field to activate and to resolve this effect. This card gains 500 ATK for each Dragon-Type monster on the field or in either player's Graveyard.

Absorb Spell  
Quick-Play Spell  
Activate only when a Equip Spell Card is activated; Change the target of that Spell Card to another target, ignoring the target requirements.

De-Fusion  
Quick-Play Spell  
Target 1 face-up Fusion Monster on the field; shuffle that target into the Extra Deck, then, if all the Fusion Material Monsters that were used for its Fusion Summon are in your Graveyard, you can Special Summon all of them.

Diffusion Wave-Motion  
Normal Spell  
Pay 1000 Life Points, then target 1 Level 7 or higher Spellcaster-Type monster you control; this turn, only that monster can attack, and it must attack all monsters your opponent controls, once each. The effects of Effect Monsters destroyed by these attacks do not activate and are negated.

Magic Formula  
Equip Spell  
Equip only to a Spellcaster-Type monster. It gains 500 ATK.


	3. Chapter 2: Get Your Game On!

**A/N: Sorry I'm so late with this chapter! I have a lot of ideas and none of them seemed to cram in the story line that well. **

**The setting of the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX era takes place five years after the events of the (undubbed) Season 4 (and the Season 3 finale, that of which the 4KidsTV were too lazy to dub in English). If there is anyone who has never seen the Japanese version of GX Season 4, I suggest that you watch every episode somewhere on the Internet before you read this chapter... or go read it on the Wiki.**

* * *

In the middle of a vast ocean, sitting hundreds of miles away from the nearest shores of Domino City, there sat a lonely island created by an erupting volcano some millions of years ago. The volcano, now inactive, created a desolate land above the sea, where it flourished with flora and fauna. The location and all of its beauty was certainly something that would grab anyone's attention, but deep underneath that beauty lied a great and terrible secret. In the underside of the island, deep within its center were seven mystical stone gates, each of them sealing three of the most dangerous cards, all with the power to reek devastation in their own wake: The Sacred Beast Cards.

It was with the intention of wielding the power of the Sacred Beast Cards that a man named Kagemaru opened up a special school, an academy where young Duelists were taught and trained to become Professional Duelists. That school was known as Duel Academy, bought, owned and contributed to building by none other than the CEO of KaibaCorp himself, Seto Kaiba. Aside from the ownership and the Professional Duelists who made it into the Pro Leagues, this school was famous not for being the first of the many Duel Academies that was built in different countries of the world, but for being the lonely rock where many strange and unexplained occurences emanating from that same location.

There was only one graduated student who answered the call whenever danger lingered near his second home at the Academy.

That Duelist, on this day, was riding a slightly crowded cruise ship back to the Academy to attend the Duel Academy Graduation Reunion, a week-long event where Duelists gathered five years after graduating from their class. There, Duelists met up with old fiends, settled old scores with their rivals and tell stories about the last five years after their graduation from Duel Academy. Whether they stayed an amateur Duelist or became a professional over time, these Duelists were happy to see their friends all gathered in one spot and even got to stay in their old respective dorms.

Today was the first day of that week. The Duelist would not miss it for the entire Dueling World.

That was when a screeching sound came over the speaker, followed by the captain's slight Irish brogue. _"Attention all passengers. If ye look to the bow of the ship, you will see the world famous Duel Academy Island coming up on the horizon,"_ he informed, grabbing the attention of that particular Duelist._"T'anyone who is planning to get off at this stop, we will be docking shortly within half an hour. Thank ye for sailing on the S.S. Daedalus and I hope ye have a wonderful time."_

As the captain turned off his speaker with another sharp screech, the Duelist had already made a beeline towards the bow of the ship, shifting his way through the crowds and excusing himself for brushing past them. When the Duelist made his way to the bow, he was met with a spray of ocean water, which sparkled in the late morning sun, creating a rainbow mirage that lasted for a few seconds. There, he spotted an island off in the far distance, a volcano stretching up into the sky, a lush green forest filling in the island. A stone altar rose up from the ground, guarded by several stone obelisks jutting from the top of the altar. Five dome roof buildings filled in the altar's space, the biggest and smallest domes being white, while three other domes each were colored red, yellow and blue.

Jaden Yuki smiled. He could not wait to see how his old Dueling school prospered after leaving it so far behind for those five years. He was a brown-haired Duelist that extended to the back of his head by inches, topped with orange hair. He wore a red uniform that signified his dorm, a white collar around his shoulders and snapped at the chest. Underneath the jacket, he wore a black shirt and long white pants which extended down to his red shoes hints of black at the sides and at the front of each sole.

Strapped over his shoulder on a black strap was a black-and-red backpack. Peering out of the backpack was a round tan tabby cat, brown stripes decorating his legs back and up his long bushy tail, that bushy end also brown. The cat perched up to the railing next to Jaden as the latter gripped his hands tightly on the rails. Jaden was filled with excitement and anticipation, something he never felt since his first year at the Academy. Now the academy was slowly becoming bigger as the ship got closer with every passing minute.

"There it is, Pharaoh. Duel Academy Island. Looks like nothing has changed for these past five years, has it?" Jaden asked the cat as he yawned, mixed in with a meow. Jaden rested his hands on his crossed arms, sighing. "Although, I might have some explaining to do once I get back together with the old gang. They're probably wondering where I ran off to and why I just up and left the island without ever saying goodbye."

Jaden sighed once again, this time with a slight frown on his face. He remembered clearly about a time in his senior year when he forgot that Dueling was so much fun. After he defeated Nightshroud, an evil spirit of darkness who attempted to purge the Earth in his World of Darkness, Jaden left Duel Academy Island while he was under a distant spell of melancholy. However, thanks to a certain Duelist who he met on the day he tried out for exams, Jaden regained his love for Dueling and set off for another adventure.

After the memories of Dueling the King of Games himself faded, Jaden smiled once more and lifted himself on his arms. "Still, it's gonna be great to finally set foot on Academy Island again," he said to himself. "I can still remember all the good times we shared almost like it was yesterday. Of course, those days happened five years ago, but still. It's gonna be good to get back to my old dorm room again."

Jaden smiled while another happy wave of nostalgia washed upon him like the seawater spraying in his face. He remembered his days as being the best Slifer Red Duelist in the Academy as clear as crystal. He could remember his Duels that he fought so well in the Academy and when most of the outcomes involved him winning, a few Duels ending with him losing and some of his Duels ending with a draw. Why, he could remember when he first Dueled at the entrance exams, when he first faced off against Dr. Vellian Crowler and his "Ancient Gear Golem." It was also the day he gained a close trusted friend.

To that end, Jaden pulled from his Deck, a LIGHT-Attribute Fairy-Type Monster Card, depicting a brown ball of fluff, big soulful eyes, white wings and green clawed paws sticking out from its hairy body. That Monster was "Winged Kuriboh," a special card holding the spirit of the Fairy itself, given as a good-luck gift by the King of Games himself. If it weren't for "Winged Kuriboh," Jaden may have never lived to save the world and himself from certain doom all those times ago.

At the same time, the ethereal spirit of "Winged Kuriboh" appeared next to Jaden's right shoulder and spoke in a voice that only Jaden understood. "Yeah. Me too, pal," he replied. "I can't wait to see how everybody's doing, too. After all, we'll be seeing our friends again and we'll probably be Dueling Chazz sometime, just for old time's sake. What do you think of that, Pharaoh?" The tabby cat yawned again, which made Jaden smile. "Yeah, I thought so, too."

As the tabby cat let out a deep yawn, a shiny, glowing ball floated out of its mouth and hovered up to Jaden, and another ethereal spirit appeared to the left of Jaden. The spirit was of a tall, slender man with black hair tied at the back of his head in a ponytail. He wore a white shirt, a loose red tie, black pants and a pair of rectangular framed glasses. His seemingly closed eyes peered deep into the horizon as he saw the Duel Academy Island quickly approach them from the boat.

_"My, my, it seems like forever since we first left the island,"_ the spirit said in a slight Germanic accent.

"Yeah, I know that for a fact, Banner," Jaden replied happily. "After all, this reunion is a week-long once-in-a-lifetime shindig. There won't be very much time to Duel everyone on the campus before this week ends, so I propose that we make the best of it by having as much as fun as we did during those three years!"

"A good idea, Jaden," the spirit of the late Professor Lyman Banner concurred. "Plus it will be a good thing for Pharaoh that we are about fifteen minutes away from shore. I do not think he can handle anymore sea traveling than he can already take." To prove Banner's theory, Pharaoh slowly slumped over the safety railing, his tan face becoming pale green. The cat's sick action made Jaden and Banner giggled before Jaden looked out to the distance and clenched his fist up to his eye level.

"You bet it's a good idea, Banner! I'm just getting so jittery with this much excitement, I feel I just might explode!" Jaden clenched his other fist and brought them both to his chin level, which shuddered with the adrenaline seeping in from the thoughts of Dueling everyone for old time's sake. He turned up to the sky, thrust his clenched fists up to the air and shouted from the top of his lungs, which shocked most of the passengers on the ship.

"OH, YEAH! THIS IS GONNA BE THE BEST DUEL ACADEMY REUNION WEEK OF MY LIFE! ALRIGHT, DUEL ACADEMY, GET READY AND GET YOUR GAME ON!"

* * *

"All ashore!"

Jaden quickly disembarked from the cruise ship, Pharaoh following closely behind, both being the only two of the many passengers to get off at the docks of Duel Academy Island. The docking ramp pulled away back to the ship after Jaden and Pharaoh stepped off and started to sail off into the sea. Jaden turned and waved at the old, scruffy Irish captain of the ship, standing at the stern on the deck level and returning the wave.

"Hey, thanks again for dropping me off of here, captain!" Jaden yelled at the captain.

"'Tis my pleasure, Jaden!" the captain yelled back. "Ye have a good time, ye hear!?"

"Will do! See ya later!"

Jaden and the Irish captain exchanged their arm waving, a gesture of goodbye until the figure of the captain became a speck and the ship was the size of a toy boat in the sky blue distance. With a smile plastered on his face, Jaden turned and gazed at the island that helped change his life. He closed his eyes and took in the familiar sounds, smells and senses. The waves crashing against the cliffs of the island. The smell of the grass wafting in the air. The coolness of the breeze whisking against his body. This was the unchanged feeling of Duel Academy welcoming its finest student back on its island. He hadn't felt this good to be back since the aftermath of the Yubel Incident on his third year, when he wanted nothing more than to leave before he put his friends in danger. Not only that, but he lost his love for Dueling that same year.

Now that Nightshroud was finally destroyed, Jaden's friends were no longer in any danger. It was better yet, that Jaden restored his love for Dueling thanks to the King of Games with the help of "Winged Kuriboh" by his side. Jaden opened his eyes and took another good look at the place he considered his second home.

"Long time, no see, Duel Academy," Jaden thought as he felt Pharaoh affectionately nudge himself against his legs. "I missed you so badly when I first set off on my own. Not a day went by when I didn't wish I could one come back and Duel on your soil again. Well, now that I'm back and better than ever, I'm ready to give it all and make this week count. Look out everyone, because Jaden Yuki has returned!"

_BEEP-BEEP! BEEP-BEEP! BEEP-BEEP!_

Jaden's thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of his PDA ringing in his backpack. "This had better be important as to why I couldn't soak in all of that fresh Duel Academy air," Jaden grumbled as he set the backpack down, took out his PDA and opened it. The time at the top of the PDA screen read 10:30 AM. "WAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH! That's right! They're opening up the banquet hall right now! If I don't get there in time, then all of the fried shrimp will be gone! Come on, Pharaoh! There's no time to lose!"

Pharaoh meowed as Jaden frantically gathered his backpack and hightailed it to the island, the tabby cat following closely behind.

* * *

The Duel Academy Banquet Hall was packed today.

Almost every corner of the hall was littered with past students, all amateur, intermediate and professional alike. Some of those Duelists wore their old dorm blazers, though most of the Slifer Red graduates preferred their casual clothing over their red uniforms out of shame. Most of the other Ra Yellow and Obelisk Blue graduates wore their respective dorm uniforms, thus outnumbering the red uniforms in a perfect blue-and-yellow-to-red ratio.

It never really mattered who they were and what they wore. Today was the first joyous day of Duel Academy Reunion Week, and the graduates couldn't be more happy than to eat the food from the banquet table, smile happily and share stories of the past five years of their life. No one instigated any rivalry on this day; they were too busy being happy, happier for the former Slifer Reds who never really had much of a four-star meal when they resided in the Slifer Dorm.

In the back of the banquet hall, a stretch of tables all covered in fine white tablecloth stood watch over everyone like a bird perched in the branches of a tree in the park, watching everything happening through its tiny black eye. The table was lined with the staff, professors and headmasters of each dorm, all smiling too as they watched their former students eat and be merry. In the center were two middle-aged men, regarded by the students and staff as the chancellor and vice-chancellor of the entire Duel Academy.

The chancellor named Sheppard was a round, plump man, having a completely bald head save for the facial hair around his lip down to his chin. He wore a raspberry blazer that signified him as the chancellor of the school, a yellow casual shirt and red necktie underneath the jacket. The vice-chancellor was called Dr. Vellian Crowler, a self-proclaimed doctor of Dueling with a PhD to top it all off. in that department. He was tall, scrawny and had a face that most mistook him as an old lady. He had blonde hair tied down to a ponytail, wore an Obelisk Blue blazer with a pink ruffled and gold trimmings, complete with a pair of crescent earrings hanging from his ears.

"This certainly is a good turnout, eh, Crowler?" Sheppard said, a smile beaming on his face. "It looks like this year's Duel Academy will be a huge success, wouldn't you say?"

"For once, I completely agree with you one-hundred percent, Chancellor," Dr. Crowler concurred in a raspy British accent, nodding while doing so. "It seems that everyone and everything is getting along so well, unlike last year's Reunion thanks that to that food fight fiasco." There was a hint of displeasure in Crowler's voice as he remembered the incident as if it was like yesterday. He remembered of a food fight that occurred a year ago when a couple of bitter rival nearly went at each other's throats, which resulted a hall-sized fiasco of flinging food, splashing drinks and the disciplinary squad intervening. To add more to Crowler's chagrin, they decided to name the incident...

"Ah, yes. The 'Eggs Over Eyes-y Incident.' You had those two Duelists tossed off the premises just because they threw a couple of eggs at your face," Sheppard said with a chuckle. The reminder of that day made Crowler wince in shock as the chancellor regained himself by clearing his throat. "But even so, even I had to agree that the food fight was a bit much. But don't worry about it, Crowler. I guarantee that this year's Duel Academy Reunion goes along without another incident whatsoever."

"I should certainly hope so," Crowler grumbled. "You are giving me a raise to stay in this school."

"What was that?"

"Uhh...I-I mean, uh...after all, seven days is all the time these former students have to stay in this school. So let's hope that they can make the best of it," Crowler lied, a nervous smile and chuckle escaping him and bullets of sweat trickling down his face.

"For once, that's good thinking on your part, Crowler!" Sheppard acknowledged. "That is one reason why we host these Reunions. It's so we can ensure that everyone here can enjoy themselves, even though it will only last for a week. Right?" Crowler stammered nervously as he nodded his head, but felt much relief that Sheppard never saw through his little lie. Still, Crowler had to agree with what Sheppard said: Everyone in the banquet hall was enjoying themselves, all appearing to have fun.

Suddenly, a fracas began to pipe up in a distant corner of the hall, followed with a band of Duelists gathered around in a small crowd, thrusting their fists up in the air and repeatedly shouting "Duel! Duel! Duel! Duel!" like a mantra. The faculty looked on curiously as the the chanting continued on, Dr. Crowler crossing his arms and casting a sideways glance to his boss.

"Hmmph... no incidents whatsoever, huh?" Crowler asked, earning a slight chuckle from Sheppard.

"Well, you never know when something like this happens, Crowler."

"That's understandable. Shall I call the squad in to break this fight up?"

"No need. These things will settle by themselves eventually." As if by perfect timing, the chanting fell like the sudden end of a downpour, followed with mutterings amongst the Duelists. Crowler looked on puzzled as he tried to process what happened to the fight while Sheppard chuckled once more. "See, what did I say? These things settled down by themselves.

Crowler's bewildered look reverted to a scowl. He crossed his arms and humphed. "Hmmph. Fine, but the next I see a squabble like that, I'll have to call the squad on them."

"That won't be necessary, Crowler," Sheppard assured. "Once we get two of our class's best Duelists under this roof, that's when we get the Reunion started."

"And what, may I ask, will be stopping this Reunion if one of those Duelists doesn't show up?" Crowler asked. "You know how distant he was during his third year."

"Don't worry, he'll show. I have every confidence that he does." Sheppard rested his chin on his hands, staring out to the distance with a thought. "After five long years of traveling all by himself, I'm sure he's regained his passion for Dueling. I want to make this Reunion count for him. Mark my words, Crowler: I'm going to make it a week for Jaden Yuki to remember for the rest of his life."

* * *

In the midst of the sea of Duelists, there was one who wandered aimlessly through the crowd, a forlorn sadness on his face. He was shorter than the other Duelists, standing at about 5' 6'' despite his age. He had light blue hair that was sectioned into three layers and a pair of small, circular glasses perched on his nose. He wore an Obelisk Blue blazer and a black shirt underneath the jacket. His name was Syrus Truesdale, younger brother of Zane Truesdale, a former top graduate who handed his "Cyber" Deck down to him when he was stricken ill.

Now Syrus trudged among the Duelists, looking in every nook and cranny as he tried to look for a familiar face among the crowd. He looked under the tables, over the crowds, behind the potted plants. Still, there was no sight of his friends anywhere. Syrus sighed; he had really hoped to find Jaden somewhere and share their own stories, have a Duel with him using his new "Cyber" cards and stuff their faces like there was no tomorrow. Sadly, that all came to him in the form of disappointment.

"I guess he's not coming after all, just like the graduation ceremony," Syrus lamented, another sad sigh exhaled from his lungs. "It's no use. I guess I'll have to spend the week alone in my old dorm room."

"ATTEN-HUT!"

Suddenly, Syrus jumped in shock, three feet into the air before he scuttled backwards into a nearby wastebasket. The wastebasket flipped in the air and fell down over Syrus's small frame. The blue-haired pipsqueak then heard an obnoxious, military accent laughter that rang out in response and groaned.

Syrus knew that laughter from anywhere. He lifted the wastebasket up, a banana peel stuck in his hair and saw a muscular Duelist standing before him. He had a sleeveless Ra Yellow blazer on which was worn over a green shirt. A bandanna worn over his dreadlocks featured a dinosaur head, dinosaur bone earrings on his ears and a dinosaur bone necklace dangling from his neck. Finally, there were his beige pants which was worn on the inside of his military boots, giving the Duelist a tough look, complete with white wristbands and a belt buckle with a predatory face etched inside. To everyone in Duel Academy, he was the Dinosaur Duelist who everyone revered for whipping his troops into shape.

To his friends, the Duelist was known only by the name...

"Tyranno Hassleberry. I should've known that was you," Syrus deadpanned, flinging the wastebasket off of him and scrubbing the garbage off of himself.

The muscular Duelist let out a hearty laugh as Syrus wiped away the remaining garbage from his blue blazer and flicked away an uneaten crumb from his sleeves. "Yee-hee-hee-ha-ha-ha-haaa! Private Truesdale, that has got to be the best scared reaction I've ever gotten from a welcoming salute! That surprised look on your face was priceless!"

"Oh, I'm surprised, alright!" Syrus retorted. "I'm surprised to see a second-year student like you here attending a first-year class reunion!"

Hassleberry laughed out heartily, a proud, bold laughter ringing in the hall. "Don't you fret over that, Private Truesdale! I was supposed to come here! You see, I'm not the same Sergeant Tyranno Hassleberry you knew once upon a time!" Hassleberry flexed his arm muscles and revealed a band around the bicep, the shape of four arrow-shaped patches set on the band. "You're talking to Sergeant Major Tyranno Hassleberry, Duel Academy's assistant gym teacher! I just got the job about thirteen months ago!"

"You did!? Wow, congratulations, sarge! I'm sure you'll be able to whip your students into..." Syrus trailed off as he jumped to a realization. His praising smiles had converted into a scowl. "Hey, wait a minute, Hassleberry! You didn't get a job as an assistant gym teacher just so you could attend the Reunion and meet Jay for yourself, did you!?"

Hassleberry gasped, taken aback by the pipsqueak's accusation. "That's Sergeant Major to you, soldier!" the Dino Duelist yelled. "And for your information, I didn't come to this Reunion just to meet my old squadron! I came back to help whip up the newbies into shape! Now drop and give me twenty, private!"

"I don't think so!"

"You dare speak against your superior, soldier!?"

"You!? My superior!? Did you already forget who beat you in that one Duel... or did your dino brain shrink to pea-sized these five years!?" Syrus asked, a smug grin cracked across his face. Hassleberry's nerve popped at the side of his head and he growled like his Dinosaur monsters, fists clenched tightly. The Dinosaur Duelist then thrust his face into Syrus's, who returned the favor with a snort from his nostrils.

"That's it, son! You just earned yourself a Duel!" Hassleberry shouted. "Now put up your dukes and prepare for combat, squirt!"

"Yeah!? Bring it on, Sarge!"

"That's Sergeant Major to you, private!"

Both of the former Ra Yellows growled and pressed their heads up against each other. For the first time in five straight years, both Duelists rekindled a long-forgotten rivalry that quickly burned a red-hot aura around the two. Duelists nearby took notice of Syrus and Hassleberry's squabbling and started to circle around them. Then they thrust their fists up in the air and chanted "Duel! Duel! Duel! Duel!" while Syrus and Hassleberry pressed their heads with enough pressure to crack a coconut.

It was only this scene that caught the attention of a certain pale-skinned spiky black-haired Duelist wearing a tattered black jacket. He also wore a dark purple shirt, dark blue pants and brown shoes. The casual outfit the Duelist wore was usually worn at Duel Academy's rival school, North Academy, but this Duelist was an exception. He was the second-best Duelist at Duel Academy and one of the richest ones at that.

"I thought I heard dorks fighting in here."

Everyone in the circle, including Syrus and Hassleberry turned to the pale Duelist standing outside of the crowd. They split to reveal a Duelist whom they instantly recognized. "Did I miss the fight already? 'Cause I feel I got ringside seats for nothing," the Duelist said in a stern voice. "By the way, Huckleberry, did you get employed full-time here or was this just an excuse to see Jaden again?"

Syrus and Hassleberry both gasped happily, seeing the very familiar face dropping by. "Well I'll be. It's our old barracks major, Chazz Princeton!" Hasslebery declared.

The crowd around them began to whisper amongst themselves. They were just as surprised to see Chazz Princeton arrive at the Reunion in his casual outfit. Some of them whispered of his rise to his distrustful family organization, the Princeton Group, ran by his older brothers. Hassleberry and Syrus broke off from their pressed heads while Chazz looked down on them with a cool, stoic face.

"Hey, Chazz. Long time no see," Syrus greeted. "What have you been doing these past five years?"

"It's The Chazz," the latter corrected. "And in case you dorks haven't seen it on the news, I just won the Asian Tournament about a couple of months ago."

"Actually, Chazz, I have heard about it on the news," Syrus replied. "You really kicked butt in those Duels."

"Yeah. Congratulations," Hassleberry commented. "You really put those Duelists in their place."

"Oh, please, there's nothing for you to congratulate me for," Chazz replied with a huff. "That Asian Tournament was a big waste of my time. None of the challengers could even hold a candle to me without giving me a real challenge, and I never got one!" Chazz growled to himself while Hassleberry and Syrus let off a sweat drop on their heads.

Then a smile spread across Chazz's face, followed with a prideful nasal giggle before he reached into his jacket pocket. "Of course, if there's one thing you should be congratulating me on, it would be this." Chazz pulled out a few snippets of a newpaper article and revealed it to Sryus and Hassleberry, who both read it aloud.

"'Princeton Group Rises to Top of the World,'" Hassleberry read.

"'Professional Duelist Chazz Princeton, younger brother of Slade and Jagger Princeton, Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Princeton Group, claims the title as head of his family organization by defeating both brothers in an official Duel... for their current positions as head of both of the political and financial world!?'" Syrus shouted, shocked by the surprising news. "Chazz, are you serious!? You actually beat your brothers and now you're head of the three major world industries!?"

"That's right, dork," Chazz replied, grinning as he placed the newspaper away in his jacket. "You're looking at the current CEO of the Princeton Group, head of the political, financial and Dueling organization! How's that for a life achievement!?"

"A life achievement!?" Hassleberry retorted. "Those people you beat were your brothers, soldier! How could you do that to your own family!?"

"Because, Bumbleberry, those scrubs were going to go along with their plan for world domination," the pale Duelist answered, receiving a confused gasp. "I heard they were going to buy off Duel Academy again in order for them to build an industrial building in its place! So I wagered this place for their head titles! And in case you guys got slow all this time, I've won and I not only saved earned the title of the big cheese of the Princeton Group!"

Chazz slammed his foot down as he stood atop of the nearest table, standing posed in a proud manner completely with a smile. "Now that those two scrubs have been beaten by my own hand, I, Chazz Princeton, have figuratively become the leader of the entire world! There is no one else in the world who can stand up to someone as powerful as The Chazz!" The latter threw his head up and howled with laughter while Syrus and Hassleberry huddled for a quiet bull session.

"Do you think our Major has lost his marbles during the past five years?" Hassleberry whispered.

"Well, if you count seeing Chazz swat away at his imaginary Duel Monsters spirits, then that would be a yes," Syrus replied.

"HEY! I heard that, you little shrimp!" Chazz snapped, shocking the two. "You'd be crazy too if you had to stick with three annoying freeloaders!" As if on cue, three small ethereal spirits, all wearing red bikini briefs appeared next to Chazz. One of the spirits was black, chubby and had a big nose. The other spirit was a green muscular but miniature Cyclopean spirit. Finally, there was one yellow spirit with a big mouth, big red lips and eyes attached to protruding stalks. These monster spirits were Chazz's best monster, know as the Ojama Brothers, annoying weak monsters who, with combined strength, makes up for with deadly strategies.

_"It's okay, Boss. We understand completely how you feel,"_ Ojama Yellow said.

_"Yeah. You're only saying that because you love us,"_ Ojama Green chimed in.

_"We're just like brothers, you and the three of us!"_ Ojama Black concluded. _"Except, of course, we don't get the cheap haircut."_

Chazz growled like an animal as soon as Chazz heard Ojama Black's comment. Then he swiped at the tiny spirits who tried to fly away from his swatting hands. "We are NOT brothers and I do NOT have a cheap haircut!" Chazz yelled. "How about if I give you a little off the top myself!?"

Chazz swept his hands through the air to catch the Ojama Brothers while everyone else looked on as they saw their top Duelist only swipe the air and nothing else. Some turned away in embarrassment while others simply ignored Chazz. Syrus and Hassleberry only remained behind while they looked on, a bigger sweat drop shown on their heads.

"Yep. He's definitely gone crazy," Syrus said, earning a nod from Hassleberry.

"Come on. Crazy is an understatement," a woman mused nearby the scene. "It's been only five years since I've seen you guys and you all haven't grown up one bit."

Chazz and Syrus froze at the sound of a familiar voice, a sound that only sang like a choir of angels singing to the two lovestruck Duelists. _"Is that... Alexis?" _they thought as they turned around to the woman. She had long auburn hair and wore a red ball gown, a choker around her neck with a green jewel etched in. This woman was known as Alexis Rhodes, a brilliant Duelist as well as the most beautiful Duelist ever to catch the eyes of every guy in Duel Academy.

Syrus and Chazz were among the two to be swooned by Alexis's appearance. Their faces became as red as ripe tomatoes as they nearly found themselves descending into the next world. Soon, their entire surroundings became a field of flowers in a mixture of a pink and yellow background, whereas bubbles began to rise. The two watched with much warmth fluttering in their hearts as the angel known as Alexis Rhodes approached them with much grace and beauty. Forming a triangle around them were the Ojama Brothers, dressed up as little cherubs and blowing little horns.

"Chazz... Syrus..." Alexis called out to them in a harmonic voice.

"Yes, my darling?" asked the lovestruck Duelists.

"What are you two doing?" In the real world, Alexis Rhodes had looked on in embarrassment while Syrus and Chazz were swooned by her arrival, hearts replacing where their eyes used to be. A sweat drop formed at her head in response before she gently facepalmed. "Jeez. Five years and those two haven't changed a bit," she muttered to herself.

Hassleberry chuckled. "What'd ya expect, Miss Rhodes? They've been head over heels for ya ever since you showed up to this school."

Alexis pulled her palm away from her face when she heard her second-year friend approach her and broke with a gentle smile. "Hassleberry? I didn't think someone as strong as you would be employed of the Duel Academy," she said.

Hassleberry laughed a little, rubbing the underside of his nose with a finger before cracking a wide toothy grin. "That's right. I wanted to stay here at Duel Academy because this was my home and everyone at the Ra Yellow dorm considered me their best. So I hooked up with Ms. Fontaine and she got me the job as assistant gym teacher, so now I'm here to say and help whip my troops here to shape!"

"Really? I think of it as a long shot to seeing Jaden again after five years."

The Dino Duelst gasped and turned his head away while Alexis giggled, her hand covering her mouth. "That-That's not true! I just really like Duel Academy... is all..." he stammered. "But enough about me, how's your teaching career going? I heard you won the 'Teacher of the Year Award' in North America."

"Actually, I've won it twice," Alexis said, holding up to fingers.

"Sam Hill! You won the award two times!? Congratulations, that has to be the biggest honor you've ever won for your career! Way to go!"

"Thanks. I suppose I could say the same for your gym training, too."

"You could say that again."

Both Hassleberry and Alexis share a giggle, something they never did together since the latter graduated. Suddenly, a bouquet of light pink flowers and yellow daffodils appeared next to Alexis, held by a kneeling Chazz Princeton. His head was bowed, eyes closed and a passionate smile on his face as he used his free hand to hold over his heart as he recited a poem.

"Alexis Rhodes, how I've longed for this day to finally arrive, when we could finally meet again after years of five," he said in a romantic tone. "The years we have been far apart seemed like an eternity for this lonely old heart. I had faith that we would meet again soon. Now we'll hold our hands under the bright moon."

Alexis stood plainly at the romantic display, simply blinking. "Did you like that, my little Lex?" Chazz asked. "It took me five years to come up with that poem made especially for you and me." Chazz threw the bouquet away over his shoulder and clasped Alexis's hands, an excited, lovely look on his face. "And now that we're together again, we can catch up on our life stories, how we've waited five years to see each other again! We'll discuss it over a romantic dinner and maybe a moonlit walk across the beach!"

Suddenly, Chazz found himself face first into the floor tiles, his arms pinned down by a familiar short statured Duelist. "Hands off, lover boy! I saw her first!" Syrus argued.

"Back off, shrimp! Why don't you wait in line like the rest of the guys!?" Chazz growled. Suddenly, Chazz flipped and pinned Syrus to his stomach and held his arms to his back. While the two love rivals were pinning each other to the floor, the disciplinary squad grabbed Chazz and Syrus and dragged them away by their arms while Hassleberry and Alexis looked on embarrassed, a bigger sweat drop on their heads.

"Guess some things will never change," Alexis muttered.

"Amen to that, sister," Hassleberry concurred.

A hearty laugh drew the attention of Alexis and Hassleberry to their backs, meeting with the joyous face of their former Chancellor entertained by his former students' comical behavior, the scrawny Vice-Chancellor joining in as well. "I agree as well. I remember when those two squabbled just to be your partner in the Tag Dueling Tournament," Sheppard said, laughing.

Alexis smiled. "Yeah, I remember. Those were the good old days of Duel Academy, weren't they?"

"Yeah. I remember them as though as it was yesterday," Hassleberry said. "I remember when it was just me, Truesdale, Princeton, Alexis, Bastion and..."

"...and Jaden," Syrus finished. He hung his head down, a sad forlorn look on his face as he and Chazz approached the group. He felt like his heart was missing a piece, and the only piece was the best friend he knew since the entrance exams. "I still can't believe Jadenup and left the island during our graduation ceremony. He could've at least said goodbye to us before he went off on his own, so we wouldn't have to write him a letter."

"I know what you mean," Chazz said. "I told him to come see me for a Duel and he never came to me, not once in these long years!"

"I just hope he didn't forget me," Hassleberry said as he recalled a picture he drew for Jaden, depicting him as a weeping dinosaur.

"I'm sure he hasn't forgot about us, Hassleberry," Alexis said. "Still, if he were right about now, then that would make our week all the more worthwhile."

Alexis soon bowed her head, followed with Hassleberry, Chazz, Sheppard and Crowler. Suddenly, the front doors of the Banquet Hall slammed open, surprising everyone inside as a familiar voice rang out. "Hi, gang! I'm not too late for the 'All-You-Can-Eat Buffet' now, am I!?"

Everyone looked and saw a familiar brown-haired Duelist standing at the doorway, letting in the bright sunlight. As the doors closed, everyone recognized the Slifer Red blazer on the Duelist, a gaping smile on his face. A chorus of collected gasps and following whispers went around the room as Alexis, Syrus, Hassleberry, Chazz and the two Chancellors looked to the Duelist with surprise, unaware of the plump tabby cat making his way through the legs of the crowd. They couldn't believe who they were seeing at first, but those Slifer Red threads and that familiar laugh made it official.

"Hang on. Do you fellers see who I see?" Hassleberry asked his friends.

"I'm seeing it, but I don't believe it," Chazz replied.

"I believe it," Alexis said. "It's..."

"JADEN!"

Jaden waved at a few people in the crowd, most of which waved back before a familiar duo of both a high-pitched voice and a masculine voice caught his attention. He looked and saw his old pals, Syrus and Hassleberry run at him with open arms, teary eyes and a big smile on their faces. "Syrus! Hassleberry! Long to no seeEEEE!"

In one moment, Jaden was waving to two of his old Duel Academy classmates and dearest friends. The next moment, Jaden found himself on the floor on his back, pinned down by the combined weight of his pals who held onto him and cried into his red jacket like a couple of overjoyed puppies. Jaden could feel his breath squeeze away from the bear hugs like a vise. "Easy there, guys. Can't... breathe..."

Syrus sobbed into the soaking red jacket and looked up to him with white tears pouring from his eyes. "Jaden! I-I-I-I thought I'd never see you again!" he cried, returning his face into the jacket to soak it with his joyful tears.

"Where have you been all this time, sarge!?" Hassleberry cried. "We missed you at the graduation ceremony!"

Jaden wriggled his arm free out of Syrus's grip and used it to rub the back of his hair, a smile forming on his face. "Yeah, sorry about that," he apologized. "I just thought I needed to go sooner so I could have some time to myself and clear my head from all that Nightshroud business."

"Well, you could've at least said goodbye to us first!" Syrus snapped.

"Yeah! You could've Dueled any one of us before you went on your own way!" Hassleberry yelled alongside.

"Or at least stop by for the closing banquet!"

"Or stopped by for a corn dog!"

Jaden laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head even more. "Yeah, I get it. Bottom line, though, I'm finally back at Duel Academy and I'm ready to get game on!" Jaden forced himself up, which knocked Syrus and Hassleberry off on their behinds. Jaden then looked to Hassleberry and grew a curious look on his face. "Hang on, what are you doing here, Hassleberry? Isn't your Duel Academy Reunion supposed to be next year or something?"

Hassleberry chuckled and stood up, pointing his thumb to himself with pride. "It is, but I'm an official Duel Academy faculty member. Ms. Fontaine got me the job as an assistant gym teacher over a year ago and she's been giving me high praise for whipping the troops up in shape. So now I'm Sergeant Major Tyranno Hassleberry now, son of the great General Hassleberry and the ace of Ra Yellow. Those unruly maggots better beware the day they try and cross yours truly."

The Dinosaur Duelist stood tall while he beamed with pride, leaving Syrus to scowl and Jaden pondering. "So you got the job as assistant gym teacher, you must be living in the Ra Yellow dorm and you had permission to come here because you're part of the staff now. " Jaden hummed and closed his eyes. Then he perked up and slammed his fist onto his palm as the answer struck him out of the blue. "Oh, I get it now! You got the job just so you could see little old me, haven't you?"

Hassleberry reeled back in shock, now frozen stiff as if the ghost of Medusa appeared and turned him into stone. The Dinosaur Duelist couldn't feel anything from his shock, not even the friendly pat on his shoulder from Jaden. "Hey, it's cool. You didn't need to go through all that grueling job training just to see me again," he said, the words striking Hassleberry in the ego like an arrow. Suddenly, in the next moment, the ghost white body of Hassleberry curled itself against the corner of the hall, a gloomy atmosphere spread around him and purple wavy lines emanating off of him like a repulsive smell.

"I don't get it... Why does everyone keep saying that I only got the job just because I wanted to see the Sarge...?" he muttered somberly. "I just wanted the job so I could be closer to home..." Jaden and his friends all watched on as the Dinosaur Duelist slumped in the corner, all growing a sweat drop on their heads.

"Wow, and I thought I was pathetic," Syrus said.

"That's the Understatement of the Year, Syrus," Chazz remarked.

"Hey, Syrus!" Jaden yelled, grabbing the blue-haired Duelist's attention just as the former Slifer grabbed him in a friendly headlock. Syrus struggled to get out of the gentle, yet firm grasp of Jaden's arms while the latter chuckled, unaware that his grasp became tighter. "Long time no see, Sy! It's been a while since we last saw each other, hasn't it?"

"Yeah, about five years, Jay," Syrus said. "Now could you let go of me? I can't... really..."

"Whoops! Sorry about that," Jaden said as he released Syrus, who rubbed his neck and took a few deep breaths before he followed with a laugh. "Hey, Sy, how's your brother been, these past few years? Has he gotten himself out of that wheelchair, yet?"

"He sure has! Zane made a full recovery a year and a half ago," Syrus said happily before his smile fell to a frown. "However, Zane dropped off the map a couple of months later. Before he left, Zane told me he was going to travel the whole world and search for a Deck that was just as good as his Cyberdark Deck he passed down to me. No one's seen him since then."

"Oh, man. That had to be a real bummer for you, hasn't it?"

"Yeah. I guess."

Suddenly, Syrus was pulled back to Jaden by the red sleeve on his shoulder and given a friendly noogie on his head. "Well, don't you worry, Sy! I bet you Zane's already put together a Deck that's just as powerful as yours! With your Deck and his in the Pro Leagues together, there's no way that someone could take the two of you down that easily!"

"Really? You think so?" Syrus asked, a hint of hope rising in his voice.

"I don't think so, Sy! I know so!" Jaden began to rub his knuckles in Syrus's hair. "Now get over here and show me some Duel Academy love!"

"Stop it, Jay! That tickles!"

Jaden and Syrus began to wrestle each other, an old sign of a brotherly-like bond remade for the first time in five years. Jaden had Syrus in another headlock, but Syrus countered with honking Jaden's nose, which made him flinch for a bit before his short friend jumped and gave Jaden a headlock of his own. The two former Slifer roommates laughed as they regained their sense of fun with Alexis watching with a smile while Chazz kept his scowl to maintain his cool demeanor. Jaden had laughed until the sight of Alexis and Chazz caught his eye. He stood upright which made Syrus fall on his behind and turned to two of his other long-time friends.

"Alexis! Chazz! It's good to see the both of you!" he said. "I heard about your big achievements all over the news! Way to go!"

"You did?" Alexis gasped, reverting back to her smile. "Uh... I mean, yes, you did. Thanks."

"Big deal," Chazz said, waving his hand flippantly. "It's not like my brothers were both any real challenge to me, anyway."

"A big deal!?" Jaden parroted. "Chazz, you're like the proverbial king of the world! You faced off against both of your brothers who carried Parallel Rare cards against your "Ojama" cards, backed you into a corner and you still won! How could you not consider your brothers a real challenge!?"

"Because, Jaden, the only real challenge I ever got these past five years was dealing with these annoying Ojamas," Chazz said as the transparent spirits of the Ojama Brothers appeared next to his shoulder. "While I was busy dealing with these freaks and winning Tournaments, you were gallivanting off to parts unknown without giving so much as a single thought about our rematch!"

"Uhh... rematch?" Jaden asked.

"You're kidding me," Chazz murmured. "Did you not read my note I wrote for you before you took off from Duel Academy!?"

Jaden looked up to the ceiling, a humming tuned from him while he remembered the note Pharaoh carried for him in his mouth. The note contained a bunch of farewells from his friends, a seemingly disturbing lipstick kiss mark from Dr. Crowler (he never knew what that was all about) and an angry note from Syrus. As he recalled, Jaden saw a scribbled portrait of Chazz at the top left corner of the note, telling him to come see him whenever he was ready for a rematch. That's when it all came back to him.

"Oh yeah, I remember the note," Jaden said, placing his hand on the back of his head. "I guess the rematch never came to mind."

"WHAT!?" Chazz spat. "What the heck were you doing all this time!? Traveling the world!?"

"Well, actually, yes."

Jaden's comment knocked Chazz to the floor on his back, but the latter shot himself back up on his feet, face red and ears fuming. "You're kidding me! You actually spent the next five years exploring the world while you didn't even think to come by and take The Chazz up on his rematch!?"

"Yeah. Plus, I got some sweet new cards out of those deals. Pretty cool, don't you think, Chazz?"

Chazz screamed and fell to his knees and slammed his balled fists to the concrete floor."This isn't fair! I've been waiting for five whole years for a real challenge to show up and none of them could match up to The Chazz! I spun my wheels with Duel Monsters tournaments, dangerous ante rule games and keeping the Princeton Group in check, but none of that could quench my thirst for a real challenge!"

"Uh, is Chazz alright, guys?" Jaden asked Alexis and Syrus.

"Ever since you left out of the blue during the Graduation Ceremony, Chazz has been desperately wanting a rematch with you since you last defeated him in a Duel," Alexis explained.

"That last Duel in our third year?" Jaden asked. "But that Duel was rigged for him to lose. That match couldn't have counted."

"Apparently, it counted for Chazz," said Syrus.

Suddenly, Chazz pointed his pale finger at Jaden, who in turn reeled back from that action. "Listen up, dork! I've waited five long years for you so I could defeat you once and for all! I may have put Aster Phoenix in his place, and I may have faced off against my brothers for the Princeton Group and the safety of Duel Academy, but none of that could restore my pride lost when I was forced to lose against you in our last Duel!"

Chazz slowly stood up in a battle-ready pose, his finger still pointed at his Dueling rival. "So now that we're back at Duel Academy, Jaden, I challenge you to a Duel!" he shouted as the spirits of the Ojama Brothers appeared. "And this time, I've souped up my Deck so I could finally Chazz you up and knock you down!"

_"Yeah, you tell him, boss!"_ the Ojamas said in unison.

"Hold on, Chazz. Are you saying you wanna Duel me, right here and right now, in front of all these people?" Jaden asked.

"You know it, dork."

"Well then, looks like you're gonna get a rematch after all, Chazz. Now let's throw down!" Suddenly, a flaming aura enveloped over Jaden and Chazz's bodies as they each took out their Academy-styled Duel Disks and strapped it to their left wrists, both of them colored to represent their former respective dormitories just like their old blazers. It was at the moment that the spark of Jaden and Chazz's rekindled into a wildfire, which attracted everyone in the hall, former student and current professor alike.

Suddenly, Jaden's stomach growled. Everyone else in the Banquet Hall looked on appalled while Jaden laughed sheepishly by the embarrassing interruption. "But first, I've gotta get my food on. Can't Duel on an empty stomach, you know!" Everyone fell over in response. Jaden grabbed a plate and rushed over to the buffet table where Ms. Dorothy, a short, pudgy woman with brown hair and round eyeglasses stood behind the table in her white apron, ready to serve her old students some high-quality food.

"Hey there, Ms. Dorothy! You wouldn't happen to have any food left from your old friendly neighborhood Slifer man now, would you!?" asked Jaden.

"Of course, Jaden," said Ms. Dorothy. "Here you go."

All at once, the former Slifer Red began to frantically pile on food, quickly forming a mound with one or two food from each station. Jaden piled on an egg omelet at the bottom, rising to the top with hamburg steak, a couple of eggs sunny-side up, a lobster tail, a pile of noodles with brown gravy and bits of seafood inside and a four pieces of fried shrimp to top it all off. Jade had all of the food on a single silver plate with a single glass of soda on the side.

"Alright! It's chow time!" Jaden declared as he sunk into the fried shrimp. Chazz humphed while Syrus, Alexis and Hassleberry laughed to Jaden wolfing down his meal. If anyone close to Jaden knew him well, it was that he loved any meal served to him, no matter how much the students didn't like it. Today, on the first day of the Graduation Reunion Week, Jaden was having a meal that was fit perfectly for a king.

Chancellor Sheppard and Dr. Crowler watched as Jaden finished off the fried shrimp then gradually made his way to slurping up some of the noodles, the Vice-Chancellor's face becoming green to the sight. Sheppard watched with amusement while the display of the Slifer Slacker's gluttonous inhalation made him slightly nauseous. "Oh my, how disgusting!" Crowler complained. "I know that slacker hasn't had a meal here for years, but for goodness sake, man, show some manners!"

Sheppard chuckled. "Oh relax, Crowler and let the boy have his fill," he said. "After all, he needs all the energy he can get for our main course. You know what I'm saying?"

"Of course, Chancellor, I do," Crowler replied, turning his head away to avert his gaze from Jaden's gluttonous eating. "But please, tell that boy not to chew with his mouth open. That could make other people sick." Crowler held his hand to his purple-lipped mouth as he felt his lunch lurch up into his throat. He shivered a little as Sheppard chuckled to the comical display before he stood up at the table and signaled one of the squad members to turn off the lights with the nod of his head.

The squad member nodded his head in reply then flipped the light switches off. A wave of questions and whispers spread around the crowd as the overhead lights lit up, revealing only Sheppard and Crowler, who bent over to prevent himself from succumbing to his nausea. With the clearing of his throat, Sheppard put on a smile and held a microphone to his face. "Ladies and gentlemen! Former students and Duelists alike! Welcome to the first day of the 5th Annual Duel Academy Graduation Reunion!"

The crowd applauded in response before Sheppard raised his hand to quiet the crowd down. "As many of you may remember, I'm Chancellor Sheppard and this is my esteemed colleague, Vice-Chancellor Vellian Crowler." Crowler turned around and waved his hand to the crowd, smiling weakly to mask his growing sickness. Some of the students looked at him with a scowl, remembering when the "temporary Chancellor" that not only nearly flipped their school upside-down with the rumors of the Slifer Red dorm being torn down by his orders but tried to prevent their graduation.

Crowler couldn't admit his former students were dead wrong about the Slifers being expelled.

That blame only laid on the shoulders of the former Vice-Chancellor Jean-Louis Bonaparte.

Sheppard cleared his throat as he prepared to give his speech. "Five years ago, on this very island, you have all trained your hardest to become a part of the Professional League of Duel Monsters. It was also five years ago that many of you graduated with top honors, but none of them scored any higher than our top-ranked Duelists of this class. Mr. Syrus Truesdale..."

The overhead lights flicked on over Syrus which blinded him for a minute. When he regained his sight, Syrus saw he was being the subject of stares from his former peers and applause for his Dueling skills rising marks. He laughed and rubbed the back of his head as Sheppard continued with naming the former graduates.

"Miss Alexis Rhodes..."

The light shone on Alexis, who bowed as her friends cheered on over the volume of the clapping hands.

"Mr. Chazz Princeton..."

The crowd cheered on for Chazz, who chanted the famous mantra, "Chazz it up! Chazz it up! Chazz it up!" In the luminescence of the overhead lights, Chazz grinned and humphed as he thrusted his finger up to the ceiling, the cheer entire Banquet Hall at the volume like a small Duel arena.

Sheppard cleared his throat and named the last graduate. "... and finally, for being ranked #1 in the top Dueling skills of this class, I'd like you all to welcome back Duel Academy's best Duelist, Mr. Jaden Yuki!"

At the flick of the switch, the light shone down on Jaden, who carried a piece of hamburg steak in his mouth. Before he knew it, Jaden's appearance created an uproar of cheers in the hall, including the disciplinary squad, all of which only clapped and smiled for the school's best Duelist. The faculty stood up to applaud the former Slifer Red, best known in Duel Academy for his heroic actions and the prevention of the destruction of the world, five years running. Jaden placed his hand on the back of his head and laughed as the attention flustered him, lasting a few minutes before Sheppard silenced them again.

"Now before we can get things rolling, I have something important to tell you all. In the next few years, I will be retiring from my position as Chancellor for the sake of my health." Everyone gasped and whispered amongst themselves as the news came to a shock to them. "Yes, I know this is a surprise for you all, but that is the path that I chose to walk a long time ago; but that is not the reason I hold these Reunions. I hold these Reunions every year so that I may be among our former students and to not forget the good times we shared before he take our own path down the road we call, 'life.'

"In fact, I'm sure everyone here has begun to take that path ever since you all walked out of this prestigious academy's doors and flew or sailed back home. The paths you've taken and the futures you planned are as precious as your lives themselves. That is why we must make the best of what life gives you, whether you all like it or not. With every passing year, we grow stronger if you put yourself up to the task. It doesn't matter if you're a Pro Leaguer, a teacher or a wanderer in search of adventure. Just remember this when you feel like you're stuck with nowhere else to go: you are all the proud students of Duel Academy and I am proud to be your Chancellor. When you all leave here on the seventh day, just know that I will wish you all luck on progressing with your future. Thank you."

The crowd all applauded, a mixture of clapping hands like an echo of rain as the tears of the former Duel Academy students flowed down their faces to their mouths. Jaden, Syrus, Chazz and Alexis watched forlornly as the news and the speech touched them deep inside, Hassleberry expressing it with tears of his own and his muscular arm covering his eyes.

"Wow. That was the most beautiful speech I ever heard in my life," Alexis lamented.

"Yeah. I can't believe Sheppard's gonna retire," Jaden concurred. "I hope I get to go to his retirement party."

"Nothing's gonna be the same without Sheppard running the school, that's for sure," Chazz added.

"So who do you think Sheppard might get for a replacement?" Syrus asked.

"I don't know, Sy," Jaden said, chewing on the last bit of his hamburg steak. "But whoever that guy is, I bet he's gonna be totally sweet!"

Syrus sighed. "Don't try and get ahead of yourself, Jaden. You've only got a few years until we actually meet him."

"And so..." Sheppard continued. "Without anymore interruptions, let's get this Reunion started! Crowler, if you would do the honors, please?"

"Certainly," Crowler said as he swiped the microphone away from the Chancellor and held it to his face. "Ladies and gentlemen! I hope you're all full after your big lunches, because we are now about to give you all the main course: The Duel Academy Homecoming Duel! This will be the match-up between two of Duel Academy's biggest Duelists and rivals and the first day they set foot to this island!

"Now, without further ado, it's time to announce our selected match-ups! First up is the former North Academy student, the CEO of the Princeton Group and the only one of us who wore black instead of blue for most of his stay..."

"Just get on with it!" Chazz shouted. "You're putting the audience into a big sleep!"

The audience laughed to the heckle. Crowler reeled back from the audience's laughter, blinking twice with complete exasperation. Then he adjusted his pink frilly collar and cleared his throat before pointing his finger at Chazz's direction. "Please give it up for Mr. Chazz Princeton!"

Once again the room dimmed into darkness, and popping out from the overhead lights was Chazz Princeton, who gasped back in surprise. Again, the crowd cheered for Chazz with the usual "Chazz it up! Chazz it up!" mantra. Again, Chazz thrust his fist up in the air as the crowd went wild again. With high popularity points and strong Dueling tactics, it was no wonder why everyone in Duel Academy respected Chazz Princeton.

"And for his opponent," Crowler continued. "The Slacker from Slifer Red, the top Duelist from the lowest Academy dorm..."

"MRRROOOOOOWWWWW~"

Crowler froze as he heard an all too familiar sound and felt something furry and heavy rub against his scrawny legs. He looked down in fear and gasped as the Slifer Red dorm's cat, Pharaoh rubbed himself against the scrawny legs affectionately, giving out a meow. Crowler cried a panicked woman's cry and dropped his microphone before he turned and frantically ran to the walls, climbing up the pillars and clinging to them like a startled cat.

"Someone call the exterminator!" Crowler screamed. "Call pest control! Get the National Guard! This campus is infested with rats!"

Everyone, including Sheppard laughed while Crowler hung onto the rafters like the same animal he feared the most. The only one who didn't laugh in the entire hall was Pharaoh, who tilted his head while mewing with curiosity. Sheppard grabbed the microphone from the floor and continued where his esteemed colleague left off.

"Please give it up for Chazz's opponent, Mr. Jaden Yuki!"

The spotlight shone on Jaden as he finished his last bite of the egg omelet. The crowd went wild, a notch wilder than Chazz's applause. Jaden and Chazz met each other's gazes, both of them smiling while glowing with the same fiery aura that was previously interrupted by the Slifer Red's groaning stomach.

"Well, this is certainly an interesting little twist. We're finally Dueking again and it looks like we're the main event," Chazz said, revealing his Duel Disk to his rival while the Ojama Brothers appeared in a battle-ready pose. "Hey, dork, are you still up to getting knocked down by The Chazz?"

"You know it, pal," Jaden said as he tossed his platter to the floor, which spun until it landed on its bottom. The spirit of Winged Kuriboh appeared next to Jaden as he revealed his Duel Disk, a zealous smile spread on his face. "Alright, Chazz! Get ready and get your game on!"

* * *

"'Armed Dragon LV7!' (2800/1000) I'm activating your special ability!" Chazz shouted as he discarded his "Despair from the Dark" Monster Card from his hand. "Now destroy that dork's 'Bladedge' with Serrated Sonic Discs!"

At his master's command, a red dragon with black armor and silver blades for wings spun its three vertical stomach disks, which glowed as they buzzed out of its stomach and shot at Jaden's "Elemental HERO Bladedge," (2600/1800) a gold armor-clad warrior with a head resembling a bull and wings spread from its back. The sonic disks made contact and tore through "Bladedge" as the "Elemental HERO" exploded, making Jaden flinch from the force.

The Duel took place in Duel Academy's very own Dueling Arena, where people all over the academy, teachers and students alike, come by and watch as two Duelists clash it out on the field. The Arena was a big round room, with only two entrances visible on the opposite sides of the field. Bleachers and dark navy blue seats decorated the outward part of the Arena, enough to fit a school of five-hundred students and one-hundred staff members. Above one of the exits was a stone engraving of the face of the Egyptian God Card, "Obelisk the Tormentor," signifying the territory of the Obelisk Blue students. The Duel took an exciting turn as Jaden and Chazz released their power onto each other like a couple of unstable energy bombs holding up too much power. That power took the form of their Dueling strength and their cards. The audience held to the edge of their seats while Chazz gained the upper hand with his "Armed Dragons" while Jaden only had one face-down card on his field.

The members of the audience who held on to their seats by the edges were Alexis (who changed into her female Obelisk Blue uniform before the Duel), Syrus, Hassleberry and Pharaoh, held in Alexis's lap. Sheppard and Crowler watched with their fellow staff members as they themselves were entranced by the heat of the battle. They never saw a battle this intense since Jaden Dueled Zane for his Graduation Match. Sheppard and Crowler agreed, their two former students had grown exponentially, like they expected from them.

"Wow! I've seen some awesome Duels in my life, but this has to be the best Duel I have ever seen!" Syrus shouted.

"I know! Did you see how those two battled each other!?" Hassleberry said, feeling stoked to the point where he might literally explode. "I haven't seen them go at each other since they graduated from the Academy!"

"I can tell you this, those two have become stronger since we last saw each other," Alexis concurred with a gentle smile. "It's like I'm back at my first year of Duel Academy, back when Jaden had fun Dueling."

"There's one thing about Jay that hasn't changed," Syrus said. "It's his love for Dueling. I've never seen Jaden this excited before."

"Well, hold on to your seats, private!" Hassleberry said. "This Duel is about ta get more excitin'!"

Chazz stood on his field with a satisfied smirk as Jaden's defense against his all-powerful Dragon was destroyed by the effect. "How do you like that, Jaden?" he said. "You've got no monsters left on your field! Just one attack from my 'Armed Dragon LV7' and I've finally won this Duel!"

"You think so, Chazz?" Jaden asked, making his rival gasp. "Because you didn't really count on my face-down card. The Trap Card, 'Elemental Mirage!" The Trap Card flipped face-up and glowed a bright light which began to crackle with a weave of cracks coursing through it. "Now that my 'Elemental HERO' was destroyed by your Dragon's effect, it can now return to my field! Return to battle, 'Bladedge!'"

The card of light shattered, revealing the destroyed Warrior emerging back to its original position on the field in Attack Mode. Chazz grunted slightly. "Too bad, Chazzeroo! Me and my 'Bladedge' won't go down that easy!" Jaden said, clenching his fist with excitement. "Not while we're around to help each other, anyway!"

"So what if you brought that walking pile of scrap metal!?" Chazz said. "You may stopped your Life Points from becoming zero, but that doesn't mean that they're safe from harm!" Chazz held the only card in his hand up to the ceiling as it glowed with a strange light. "Now, I sacrifice my 'Armed Dragon LV7' to Summon out my 'Armed Dragon LV10'!"

The "Armed Dragon" was enveloped in light before it disappeared. Appearing in its place was another "Armed Dragon," this time with bulkier muscles, armored plating on its body and a fierce look in its eye (3000/2000). The dragon bellowed a roar that seemed to resonate throughout the entire Duel Arena, giving everyone a shiver that made Pharaoh panic before jumping off of Alexis's lap. With that, the audience roared as Jaden looked up to Chazz's strongest monster, the feeling of adrenaline giving a pumping fire through his veins.

"Sweet move, Chazz!" Jaden complimented. "Your Dragon looks stronger when I last saw it!"

"Oh yeah!? Well, let me show you how strong it's become!" Chazz pointed his finger to "Bladedge" and gave his command! "'Armed Dragon LV10!' Attack with Static Orb Thrust!" The Dragon formed a ball of static energy in its claws and threw it at the "Elemental HERO", dissipating the Warrior when the orb made contact. Jaden covered his face with his arm when the force of the orb exploded and causing a wind that lowered his Life Points by 400.

"Looks like you're 'Bladedge' became as harmless as a butter knife," Chazz said, smirking. "I'll end my turn so you could finish your last move."

"Oh, trust me, Chazz, it _is_ gonna be my last move..." Jaden looked up to Chazz with a confident smile. "...for you that is!"

"Say what?"

"Yeah! Don't get me wrong, Chazz, you've really grown stronger over the years! I guess when people say, 'The years did you well,' I guess that goes for you and your Dueling! But then again, so did my Dueling strategies!" Jaden placed his hand on the top card of his Deck and looked back up to him. "Now, I know you're a little rusty with my Dueling philosophy, so let me clue you in. At the end of the Duel, if you think you know it all ends, then BAM! One draw can change everything!"

"Oh, please! You don't really believe that you can draw the card you need!" Chazz replied skeptically.

"Well, how do you think I won my previous Duels?" Jaden asked. "I'm no King of Games, but I'm pretty sure that whatever my Deck's telling me is I'm gonna knock you back down Chazz, and it starts right now!"

Turn ?: Jaden Yuki

Jaden looked at his card, which was revealed to be the Spell Card, "Monster Reincarnation." "Sweet!" he said. "I just drew the card I needed!" Chazz gasped, followed by Syrus, Alexis, Hassleberry, Sheppard and Crowler. "I activate the Spell, 'Monster Reincarnation!' Now by sending a card from my hand to the Graveyard, I get to bring a Monster back to my hand!" Jaden sent "Elemental HERO Necroshade" from his hand as a Monster was brought out of the Graveyard. "And the Monster I pick is my 'Neo-Spacian Dark Panther!'"

"So what's the point!?" Chazz replied. "You just sent that pussycat back to your hand! Even if you do manage to Summon it onto the field, my 'Armed Dragon' is gonna...!" Chazz gasped and went wide-eyed as he realized something important about the move. _"Oh no! The card he sent from his hand was Necroshade! If Jaden is gonna do what I think he's gonna do, then I'm toast big time!"_

"I know what you're thinking, Chazz, and you'd be right!" Jaden yelled back, looking to his Graveyard as the spectral image of a red Warrior with skeletal armor and huge white and red-marked shoulder pads appeared behind Jaden. "Since my 'Elemental HERO Necroshade' was sent to the Graveyard, I get to summon a high-leveled 'HERO' without making a sacrifice! I bet you're wondering who I'm about to Summon, or how about if I just show you instead?"

Jaden slapped his Monster card on the Monster Zone. "I summon my good friend, the 'Elemental HERO Neos!'" A muscular white Warrior appeared, with red marks on its torso and thigh area with a blue jewel in the center of the chest. The underside of his bulky shoulder pads, the elongated forehead with a yellow diamond and the center of the neck was colored blue and bordered red while his black fists clenched and ready for battle (2500/2000).

The audience roared with cheers, for they all knew that "Neos" was Jaden's ace monster, a symbol of his "Elemental HERO"/"Neos" Deck that led him to numerous victories. Syrus, Hassleberry and Alexis all stood up, feeling the excitement of seeing the Slifer Red's best monster out on the field and rearing to go.

"Sam Hill! That's 'Neos,' Jaden's best monster!" Hassleberry exclaimed.

"With that card, Jaden is sure to win this Duel!" Syrus shouted, jumping up and down. "Come on, Jay! Show Chazz what you're really made of!"

Chazz humphed. "So what if you've got your best monster on the field? My 'Armed Dragon LV10' has 500 more Attack Points higher than your action figure! Face it, Jaden, you're going to lose this Duel in one way or another!"

Jaden smiled. "I wouldn't be to sure," he said, revealing a card from his hand. "I activate the Spell Card, 'Common Soul!' Now I can choose a monster on the field and I get to Special Summon a 'Neo-Spacian' directly from my hand! So with 'Neos' out on my field, I get to call on my 'Neo-Spacian Dark Panther' for a little support!"A black panther with a black cape and a golden collar with the initials "NS" on the center appeared next to "Neos" and growled as it arched its back (1000/8000).

"Oh, and have I mentioned the other effect of my 'Contact Soul' Spell Card?" Jaden asked. "It transfers the Attack Power of my 'Dark Panther' to 'Neos,' giving him a thousand-point boost." "Neos's" body was covered in a lightblue aura, which glowed his light blue eyes up as his Attack Points was raised to 1000 (Elemental HERO Neos: 2500 = 3500/2000).

"Gaahhh! My 'Armed Dragon's' no match against that musclehead!" Chazz panicked.

"I'm not done!" Jaden replied. "Now, I play the Equip Spell, 'Neos Force!' Now my 'Elemental HERO Neos' gains an additional 800 Attack Points!" The raised fist of "Neos" glowed bright while the Warrior's Attack Points were once again raised by the aforementioned number (Elemental HERO Neos: 3500 = 4300/2000). Jaden's friends and the Chancellors all gasped, followed with Chazz, who were wide-eyed with complete shock.

"No! This can't be!" Chazz yelped. "My Dragon's totally powerless now! How could this happen!?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about your Dragon, Chazz!" Jaden yelled. "Because you have my 'Neos Force' Equip Spell to worry about! See, when the equipped monster destroys your monster in battle... well then, the Attack Points of your monster comes out of your Life Points!"

"Chazz has less than 3000 Life Points left!" Syrus stated. "If this attack connects, Jaden will win the Duel!"

"Go get 'em, Sarge!" Hassleberry shouted. "Slay that Dragon once and for all!"

"You heard him, 'Neos!'" Jaden said, pointing to the opposing monster. "Attack Chazz's 'Armed Dragon' and end this Duel with Cosmic Crush!"

Chazz looked on in horror as "Neos" charged in with his shining fist towards the towering red dragon. Then the black-jacketed Duelist shook his head back in reality with a growl. "No, I won't let you win that easily, Jaden, you hear me!? I'm not letting this rematch go without a bang! 'Armed Dragon LV10,' intercept that attack with your Static Orb Thrust!"

Ojama Yellow appeared next to Chazz's shoulder, a frightened look on the yellow Beast's face as he tried to reach out to his owner. _"No__, Boss! If you really think I'm the ace of your Deck, then please, don't go through with the attack! It's too dangerous!"_

"Buzz off!" Chazz snapped as he swung his arm to the ethereal spirit, which disappeared into dust as he looked to his strongest Dragon, his fist clenching with pumping fire. "'Armed Dragon!' Don't let that slacker's attack go through! Intercept now!"

The "Armed Dragon LV10" took its claws and once again formed an orb of static electricity before thrusting it towards the oncoming Warrior. "Neos" swung his illuminating fist back and brought it down on the orb, both of their attacks pushing each other back with full force. With the Attack Points of "Neos" dominating that of the "Armed Dragon LV10," it looked like Jaden was going to emerge from the Homecoming Duel a victorious man.

Suddenly, the spirit of Winged Kuriboh appeared next to Jaden, the fluffy Fairy looking intimidated and scared. "Hey, pal, what's the matter?" Winged Kuriboh frantically spoke to Jaden in his chirping speech as if he was urging the Slifer Red to do something very important. Jaden's eyes widened. "Stop my attack!? Why!? What's gonna happen!?"

The answer came to the Duelists in the form of a strange circumstance. As "Neos" and "Armed Dragon" pushed each other's glowing attacks with their energized power, a chain reaction began to form as strange wind began suddenly blew where the attacks connected and pushed. Everyone in the audience covered their eyes as the wind whipped up by the minute and followed with a bright light forming in the center of the attack. The first victims to fall prey to the light were "Elemental HERO Neos" and the "Armed Dragon LV10," both of the monsters crying in pain as the light made them vanish into thin air.

"NEOS!"

"ARMED DRAGON!"

Jaden and Chazz began to scream as the light engulfed them, turning their cries into a ghostly wail, then disappearing. Syrus, Alexis, Hassleberry and the two Chancellors all grunted as the light enveloped them too, as well as the entires audience, all not having a moment to escape as the bright illumination covered it and the entires school. Soon, the entire Duel Academy and the island was caught in the expanding dome of light, followed with the oceans and the entire world.

The light vanished.

All of Duel Academy and everyone in it disappeared into the Void.

* * *

FEATURED CARDS

JADEN YUKI'S CARDS

Elemental HERO Neos  
(LIGHT/Level 7/Warrior/2500/2000)  
_A new Elemental HERO has arrived from Neo-Space! When he initiates a Contact Fusion with a Neo-Spacian his unknown powers are unleashed._

Elemental HERO Bladedge  
(EARTH/Level 7/Warrior/Effect/2600/1800)  
If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing Battle Damage to your opponent.

Elemental HERO Necroshade  
(DARK/Level 5/Warrior/Effect/1600/1800)  
Once, while this card is in the Graveyard, you can Normal Summon 1 Level 5 or higher "Elemental HERO" monster from your hand without Tributes.

Neo-Spacian Dark Panther  
(DARK/Level 3/Beast/Effect/1000/500)  
Once per turn: You can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; while you control this face-up card, this card's name, ATK, DEF and effects become those of the targeted monster.

Winged Kuriboh  
(LIGHT/Level 1/Fairy/Effect/300/200)  
You take no Battle Damage from battles involving this card. If this card on the field is destroyed and sent to your Graveyard: any further Battle Damage the controller of this card takes this turn becomes 0.

Common Soul  
Continuous Spell  
Select 1 face-up monster on the field: Special Summon 1 "Neo-Spacian" monster from your hand to the same side of the field as the selected monster. The selected monster gains ATK equal to the ATK of the monster that was Special Summoned by this effect. When this card is removed from the field, return the Special Summoned monster to its owner's hand.

Monster Reincarnation  
Normal Spell  
Discard 1 card, then target 1 monster in your Graveyard; add it to your hand.

Neos Force  
Equip Spell  
Equip only to "Elemental HERO Neos". It gains 800 ATK. When it destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to the original ATK of the destroyed monster. During the End Phase: Shuffle this card into the Deck.

Elemental Mirage  
Normal Trap  
Activate only when an "Elemental HERO" monster you control is destroyed by an opponent's card effect; Return all monsters destroyed by that effect to the field in the same battle positions they were in.

CHAZZ PRINCETON'S CARDS

Ojama Black (spirit)  
(LIGHT/Level 2/Beast/0/1000)  
_He's one of the Ojama Trio. It's said that he butts in by any means necessary. It's also said that when the three are together, something happens._

Ojama Green (spirit)  
(LIGHT/Level 2/Beast/0/1000)  
_He's one of the Ojama Trio. It's said that he butts in by any means necessary. It's also said that when the three are together, something happens._

Ojama Yellow (spirit)  
(LIGHT/Level 2/Beast/0/1000)  
_He's one of the Ojama Trio. It's said that he butts in by any means necessary. It's also said that when the three are together, something happens._

Armed Dragon LV7  
(WIND/Level 7/Dragon/Effect/2800/1700)  
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned by "Armed Dragon LV5", and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. You can send 1 monster from your hand to the Graveyard; destroy all face-up monsters your opponent controls with ATK less than or equal to the sent monster's ATK.

Armed Dragon LV10  
(WIND/Level 10/Dragon/Effect/3000/2000)  
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by Tributing 1 "Armed Dragon LV7". When this card is Special Summoned: you can send 1 card from your hand to the Graveyard; destroy all face-up monsters your opponent controls.

Despair from the Dark  
(DARK/Level 8/Zombie/Effect/2800/3000)  
When this card is sent from your hand or Deck to your Graveyard by an opponent's card effect: Special Summon this card.


	4. Chapter 3: Let's Rev it Up!

**The setting of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's takes place after the Arc Cradle (Divine Temple) Arc and before the finale of the anime series. Again, 4Kids had to skip over episodes and end it early just so Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL could air. Some of those skipped episodes are available on Hulu but they are Japanese with English subtitles, so you'll have to make due. Also, some of the cards used in the anime but you might not have seen on the later episodes of 5D's are available to view; ironic since the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Season 4 cards were never placed on that website.**

**Also: SPC = Speed Counters, counters gained by the effect of "Speed World" and "Speed World 2".**

**With that said, here we go.**

* * *

_The emergency sirens wail echoed through the building._

_The facility's red alert lights glowed crimson._

_An automated voice urged the people to evacuate the quaking building._

_Everywhere in the halls, white jacket employees of the research facility scrambled to find the exit._

_In the middle of it all was a sealed cylinder, containing illuminating discs which spun at incredible and catastrophic speeds. The discs' spinning created power surges that ran through the currents of the machine, creating a chain reaction that began to affect the seismic activity in New Domino City. With every minute the Ener-D Reactor continued to spin, the energy grew unstable and unable to contain the growing negativity. Everything went wrong; the previous head of the Ener-D research, a scientist with spiky black hair and tanned skin, warned the New Domino City council that the Ener-D Reactor would cause a great accident, but they never believed them. Now, thanks to the council's foolish decision, the new head of research already plunged the city into turmoil and chaos. With the press of a sealed red button, the Ener-D Reactor became unstable._

_There was nothing that Dr. Fudo could do now. All he could do was stagger from the hit of the agents' ray guns as he carried his baby son to the escape capsule. Dr. Fudo carefully strapped the baby in a capsule and hit the "Eject" button. Suddenly, the glass over the capsule closed and contained the baby as the boosters launched him into the most distant part of New Domino City. Dr. Fudo looked on with melancholy as the last thing he saw was the capsule containing his son, Yusei disappeared from view. Then the scientist hung his head low as the memories of him, his wife and baby Yusei flashed in his mind before the Ener-D Reactor's unstable energy reached its peak._

_And then, it happened._

_The Reactor exploded into a gigantic pillar of light and evaporated everything and everyone within a quarter mile radius, creating a crater that reached deep underground. The explosion triggered the seismic activity and the ground cracked and divided in two. The unfortunate citizens' wails for help became ghostly cries as they fell in the fiery maw of the split Earth, disappearing from the face of the Earth forever. The split land drifted off miles into the sea and created torrential funnels in its wake that sucked any unlucky individual down into the sea and to their final doom. The incident left the world at a standstill and changed forever with the creation of the desolate remnant of New Domino City._

_The Satellite._

* * *

Yusei Fudo awoke from his nightmare with a gasp.

He sat up on his bed, catching his breath as he looked around at his home, clutching his black spiky hair streaked with yellow. He lived in a garage next to the Poppo Time clock shop, a brick-layered apartment that was big enough to hold up to ten Duel Runners, if placed in an organized manner. A railed ramp led up to the outside world where the city of New Domino was located and an overhead door on a wall used for the entering and exiting of Duel Runners. Three Duel Runners, one red in color with white streaks belonging to Yusei, one white with a monowheel design belonging to his Dueling rival, Jack Atlas and one black-and-orange with retractable wings belonging to Crow, a fellow Dueling rival, too.

It was on this morning, nearly three weeks ago when Yliaster, a time-traveling organization who took drastic measures to stop the world of Duel Monsters from destroying their own future, attempted to destroy Neo Domino City using the Divine Temple. Everyone in New Domino City, except for Vice-Director Lazar, Officer Trudge, Chief Mina Simington, the MC who appeared in the Fortune Cup and the WRGP and the Signers. With the power of their Signer Dragon Synchro Monsters given to Yusei, Yliaster was finally defeated, although the cost of their member's lives were a high price to pay, including a fellow Team 5D's member, Bruno. New Domino City worked hard these past few weeks to rebuild themselves and regain after the Divine Temple incident. So far, everyone and everything went smoothly with their attempts to move on with their happy lives.

But today, Yusei felt the complete opposite.

He kept still on his bed with his black sleeveless T-shirt with a red symbol on his chest, contemplating the dream he had. The noises heard, the fearful expressions of the people of Domino City who perished during the Zero Reverse incident, even the emotions he never felt since he was a baby. The dreams had come and gone, yes, but of the dreams Yusei had, this dream was the most vivid of them all. What did it mean? Why would he have such a vivid dream about his father's research? Why did he see his father's work compromised and New Domino City destroyed by the Zero Reverse incident?

Yusei looked at the calendar.

His face dropped into depression.

Today was the day it all happened.

* * *

Yusei rested on his arms as he leaned on the railing to the lookout over a section of New Domino City. He wore his signature blue jacket over his shirt, amber gems on his shoulders and on the knees of his jeans. He wore brown high boots that nearly made it up to his knees and brown gloves on his arms and on his hands. A forlorn sadness decorated Yusei's face as he looked at his home, now improved after the incidents involving the Dark Signers and Yliaster. He was glad that his home wasn't destroyed and he was ready to bring New Domino City into the future, but it wasn't today. Today was a time for him to mourn and contemplate his dream.

It was on this day, twenty years ago that Yusei's father headed the research on clean energy that would power all of New Domino City, using the same energy used in Duel Disks. The Ener-D Reactor became successful, that was until Dr. Fudo begged the city council to have the research shut down because the high possibility of a catastrophic event. With the rejected proposal and the research headed by Roman Goodwin, the disastrous event came to fruition as Roman became consumed by the darkness of the Mark of the Spider on his right arm, which came into conflict with his birthmark on his left arm, the Mark of the Crimson Dragon's Head. The conflict ended with Roman taking the path of darkness, so he expunged the light from his system by taking out his arm and passing it along to his brother, Rex. With the system overloaded with power, Zero Reverse happened and the negative energy destroyed a part of New Domino City and left the chunk of Earth, now perched miles away from the sea, to became a slumming wasteland called the Satellite.

Seventeen years later, Rex Goodwin became the Director of New Domino City and the tensions between New Domino and Satellite became known, as the citizens of New Domino City became weary of the people forced to live in an industrial dump run by Sector Security. Yusei was one of the citizens of the Satellite, whose only goal was to regain his best monster, the Synchro Monster, "Stardust Dragon" back from his Dueling rival, Jack Atlas. Little did he know that he was becoming a part of something greater, a part of a group with the power to summon the draconic embodiment of a red star to defeat the darkness rising in the Satellite: The Signers.

Prior to his knowledge of the Signers, Yusei obtained a birthmark on his arm that was later known to be the Mark of the Dragon Tail and discovered that he had a mission to join up with the other Signers, all with a piece of the Mark of the Crimson Dragon to defeat the Dark Signers, servants to the Earthbound Immortals and the King of the Netherworld and prevent the end of the world. During his battle with Rex Goodwin, who was reborn a Dark Signer by his brother and leader of the Dark Signers, Roman, Yusei was given the Mark of the Dragon Head while the Dragon Tail was transferred to Crow and came out of the Duel victorious. With the months following the Dark Signers, New Domino City was saved, the city and Satellite was connected and everything became peaceful, all thanks in part to three grown-up orphans who grew up in the slums and bonded together like brothers.

Six months later, the barriers between Satellite and New Domino City were broken, both sides finding peace with each other by rebuilding the Satellite out from the urban decay and into a cleaner, brighter present. Six months passed with no major incidents, nor talk of any mysterious happenings inside of the metropolitan city. Then, a stone tablet fell from the sky and, like a meteor, crashed into the outer limits of New Domino and Satellite. Coinciding with the crash was the arrival of three mysterious cloaked figures, each of them wearing a patch on their faces sporting an infinity symbol on it. Talks of a mysterious Turbo Duelist known as the Ghost began to arise, whose Deck was made specifically for the elimination of what the Ghost referred to as "those nasty little things called Synchros."

It was known later that the Signers discovered the mysterious trio was working for Yliaster, an organization dedicated to rewriting the past so the catastrophic future would not come true. Yusei and the Singers were caught up in the war as their Turbo Dueling Team, "Team 5D's" participated in the World Racing Grand Prix, a Turbo Dueling competition covering for the true goal of Yliaster: to created the Grand Design that would pinpoint the location of the descending Divine Temple, a spiral-like structure containing the deified leader and founder of Yliaster, the cyborg, Z-one. The armless cyborg, who imitated Yusei through a special device planted on his face and into his head, intended to destroy New Domino City using the Divine Temple to fall and collide with the city, therefore ending the Age of Synchro Monsters. With the help of the Signer Dragons given to him by his friends and the power of Clear Mind, Yusei defeated Z-one in a Duel and the cyborg sacrificed himself to erase the Divine Temple from existence, bringing the long lost peace New Domino City longed for twenty-one years.

But Yusei himself was not feeling peace.

He was still shaken up by his dream to feel the tranquility that he was widely known for.

What he didn't know that, standing next to the open overhead garage door, two of his old, long-time foster brotherswere watching him, their faces contorted with cncern. The taller one standing at the edge of the door had spiky blonde hair, two longer pieces of hair spanning down father than the rest of his hair. He wore a collar around his neck, earrings with the appearance of the letter "A," handless elbow-high gloves and a beige jacket, buckled at his waist by a belt, the buckle sporting the letter "A" as well. In New Domino City, the Duelist was known very well as Jack Atlas, the Master of Faster, the Sultan of Speed and the King of Turbo Dueling, as well as a Signer bearing the Mark of the Dragon Wings.

The next guy standing next to Jack was someone shorter and slightly more obnoxious than him. He had big, spiky orange hair, a grayish-black headband with two rings on the left side and yellow marks on his face signifying his time being arrested and sent to the Facility, a maximum-facility prison underneath the city consisting of twin zigzag marks and triangle under his eyes, an "M" on his forehead with a dot near the left side. He wore two earrings with a nut hanging from the rings, a brown vest over his yellow sleeveless T-shirt and gray finger-less gloves on his hands. This Duelist was Crow, a "Blackwing" Duelist who stuck it out for the orphans of Satellite before those slums united with New Domino City, his Mark of the Dragon being the Tail.

The doorknob turned and opened at the top of the stairs, which caught the attention of Jack and Crow as they saw three of their other friends arrive. One was a woman with red hair, her front bangs rolled up in a metallic curler and the side burns hanging down to her shoulders. She wore a red corset with puffy shoulder sleeves, long elbow-length black finger-less gloves with gold bands at the end and a short skirt. She also wore long stockings with golden bands at her thigh and red pump shoes. She was Akiza Izinski, a Psychic Duelist once alienated by humanity for her powers to bring Duel Monsters to life now welcomed by to society, thanks to her for being part of the Signers. Her powers were gifted by the Mark of the Dragon's foot.

Next to Akiza were two kids, both of them fraternal twins, both of them sporting teal hair with side bangs framing their faces, white jackets and sneakers The brother of the twins, Leo, had a big ponytail tied at the back of his head, wore a blue T-shirt and wristbands on each of his wrists and blue sneakers. Luna, the sister, had two pigtails on both sides of her head and her jacket was pinkish in color. She wore a red long-sleeve shirt and knee-long socks down to her red sneakers. The twins both bore a Mark of the Dragon on their arms, Luna being the Hand of the Dragon while Leo recently obtained the Heart.

Like a deep sinking feeling in the pit of their chests, Akiza, Leo and Luna all felt Yusei come down with a wave of depression and joined with Jack and Crow as they watched their friend sulk over the railings. "What's going on with Yusei?" Akiza asked softly.

"I'm not sure," said Crow as he kept his gaze towards Yusei. "All I know is when I woke up, we found Yusei like that. I'm thinking he had that dream again, but I'm not sure if it's just the dream that's got him worried this time. I think it's something else... something pretty serious."

"Have you two tried to talk to him?" Luna wondered.

"No, we thought it was best to leave him alone to think for a while," Jack said with his British accent. "Whenever Yusei's feeling down in the dumps at this level, we have to respect his boundaries and give him a lit'le space. He's been staring over that railing for the past couple of hours and he hasn't even budged an inch."

"If Yusei's been out there for two hours straight, then why haven't you guys talked with him already?" Leo asked.

"'Cause, he's got a lot on his mind that he needs to sort out," Crow answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "You're all welcome to try and talk to him, but I doubt whatever you've got to say is gonna get through him that easily."

Akiza looked at Yusei with deep concern, her rose-colored eyes glimmering before she lowered her head. Then, with a slight frown of determination Akiza broke away from the group and softly walked towards Yusei, her hands clasped together behind her back. She joined her friend at the railing and looked out towards New Domino City, taking in the beauty of the sights before she turned and broke the silence. "Hey, Yusei. I have a physics test coming up next week and I was wondering if you could help me out with a few of the problems."

Akiza's approach was nice and direct, earning herself a sideways glance from the crestfallen Turbo Duelist. Yusei turned his gaze back and sighed, only speaking to Akiza in four simple words. "Not right now, Akiza."

The Psychic Duelist drew back an inch, then dropped her face to a sympathetic understanding one, eyes glimmering. Akiza looked back up to Yusei, masking her rejection behind a sad smile. "I understand. Well, if you change your mind, I'll be inside," Akiza said. She turned and walked back inside the garage, heaving a sigh. "Well, I tried but it wasn't good enough."

"You're gonna need something else if you're trying to get Yusei to talk to you," Crow said. "You can try asking him for a Duel, but even that won't do you any good."

Leo crossed his arms and closed his eyes, thinking of any possible way to break through to his friend. The energetic boy then perked up, an idea striking him like a slap in the face. "Wait! I think I've got an idea!" Leo clasped his hand around Luna's arm which caught her by surprise. "Come on, Luna, let's go cheer up Yusei so he won't feel so dumped anymore!"

"Leo, wait!"

Leo couldn't hear Luna's attempts to protest as he dragged himself and his sister to Yusei. After releasing his grip from Luna, Leo looked up to Yusei, his signature big smile and hands clenched into fists. "Hey, Yusei! When you've got the time, do you think you could help me put together a Turbo Dueling Deck!?" he asked. "I'd like to become a Turbo Duelist just like you, Jack and Crow someday!"

Leo managed to earn himself a sideways glance from Yusei. The sadness in his eyes somehow changed Leo before Yusei reverted his gaze over New Domino City. "Maybe some other time, Leo," he said plainly.

With a saddened groan, Leo turned to Luna with a face asking for help, the latter crossing her arms and closing her eyes with a scowl on her face. "Don't look at me," she said. "I have as much luck getting through to Yusei than you do with winning against me in a Duel." Leo suddenly froze with an appalled look, which consisted of his outlines bold and scribbled, his eyes white and circular with no pupils and a big pink quadrilateral where his gaping mouth used to be.

The twins walked back to the garage, Leo swaying and staggering as the effects of his sister's words pierced him like a spear. Leo and Luna joined with the others, Luna heaving a sigh like Akiza with unsuccessful results. "Well, helping build a Turbo Deck won't bring Yusei back," Luna said. "I don't think my idea would've worked on him either."

"Hey, give the guy some space, alright?" Crow said. "Like I said, he's got a lot on his mind right now and doesn't want to be disturbed."

"That's true," Jack said matter-of-factly. "All Yusei needs is some time to himself so he can recover. Trying to lure him back in his state with quantum physics and Dueling won't do you any good. You're going to have to think of something bet'er if you're gonna get through to Yusei."

"Well, if you guys are so smart of these things, then why don't the two of you go talk to him already?" Leo urged Jack and Crow. "You two have known Yusei since you were all kids and you've all been through thick and thin! Don't tell me you're just gonna leave Yusei there all on his own because of some dream!"

"Leo brings up a good point," Akiza said, holding her hands behind her back. "If we don't get Yusei to talk to us, then there's no way we can get him back. Don't you realize how miserable our lives will be if we leave him like this?" Crow and Jack widened their eyes and looked at each other with a single, unified thought. They couldn't argue with the Psychic Duelist's logic, lest they incur the wrath of her materialized Plants.

"Well, when you all put it that way..." Crow muttered. "Come on, Jack. Let's see what we can do to help."

Jack nodded in accordance to Crow's idea. Without a moment's hesitation, Jack and Crow all marched out to the railing where Yusei sulked like a statue, only moving his eyes and head when he felt the presences of the people he trusted. Yusei looked from the corner of his eye and saw his foster brothers approach him. They rested their arms on the railing and joined Yusei with their gazing at the scenery of New Domino City, the serene sounds of nature passing them by for about a moment. With a nasally sigh, Jack broke the silence.

"Looks like you have something on your mind, Yusei. Care to tell us what it is?"

Yusei sighed. "It's nothing, Jack."

"Nope. There's something bothering you, Yusei, and you keeping it bot'led up isn't good for your health," Jack said, standing back up, arms crossed and eyes gazing out to the distance. "Now come on, Yusei, tell us what's bothering you. You haven't moved from this spot for two straight hours."

Yusei couldn't hide it any longer. The Turbo Duelist was going to talk his problem out eventually, and now was the only time he had to talk about it. "Do you know what day it is?"

The question caught Jack and Crow off-guard. They looked at each other with surprise before turning back to Yusei, attempting to recall today's date. "Uh, yeah, it's the thirteenth of Friday," said Crow. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

"A lot," Yusei answered sadly. "I've been having those dreams again, about how my father's research changed New Domino City and separated Satellite into the ocean. Whenever I had those dreams, I usually got back up on my feet and continued to ride my Duel Runner, but this dream was more realistic than my other ones. It felt like I was there in person, despite me being a baby when it happened. I could feel the terror happen, I could hear their cries for help and I could see how sad my father was before Zero Reverse happened. I think today is the day when it all happened, when my father's work brought the world to a standstill."

Jack and Crow silently gasped, as well as Akiza and the twins. They never heard of Yusei having such vivid dreams before, which came to them all as one big surprise. "But that was so long ago, Yusei," Crow reassured. "New Domino City did so well ever since we restored the Satellite and since you saved it when the Divine Temple began to fall on the city. Everyone's happy that you're bringing them to a brighter future and you're gonna fill your father's footsteps as a research scientist."

"Actually, that's what I'm afraid of, Crow," Yusei said. "I've been thinking about the Divine Temple, about the lives that were lost trying to stop it from destroying the city. Aporia, Z-one... even Bruno. Even though they tried to destroy New Domino City and we considered them our greatest enemies, they all had the best intentions to save the future and make sure nothing catastrophic ever happened again. But because of all that, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm afraid of ever saying goodbye to you guys, to our friends. It's true, we all have a separate path to go on someday, but what are the possibilities that we might not see each other again afterwards? How do we even say goodbye and continue to live our lives without the possibility that one of us could disappear from this world and not see each other again? That's why I'm afraid, Jack, because when you all leave on your journey, I might not meet one another until our time is up."

Jack huffed, hanging his head down with closed eyes. "While that's good and all that you think that way, Yusei, let me tell you something about life," the Power Duelist explained. "We all say hello in life and we all have to say goodbye. Sometime's we're afraid of it, but saying goodbye isn't the end. It's just a new beginning. Like me, I'm planning on traveling the world for strong competition and I don't know when I'll come back. You might not hear back from me for a while, but that doesn't mean I'm saying goodbye forever. It'll mean I'm coming back stronger than ever.

"Even so, we might miss seeing our friends from time to time, but that won't stop us from meeting each other somewhere in the near future. In short, what I'm saying is you have to let go of the past, Yusei and start living here and now and get on with your future. You can't sulk around the past while everything around you changes. Believe it or not, old friend, I was afraid letting go of the past myself until I was given a little boost from a friend. Thanks to her, I faced my past, turned my attention to the future and vowed never to go back again."

Yusei lowered his eyes to the tree lines framing the city from below, seemingly unfazed by Jack's words of wisdom. "I wish it would be that easy."

"No one said letting go was easy, Yusei, but that doesn't mean we can't try." Before Yusei knew it, Jack tossed the former's red helmet to him and caught it. Yusei looked down to his helmet for a moment then back up to Jack and Crow, both sporting a smile. At the edge of the garage overhead door, Yusei saw Akiza, Leo and Luna step out, all giving out supporting smiles of their own.

"So how 'bout it, mate? Just one Duel just to clear your head?" Jack asked, his thumb pointed at his chest. "It'll do you a whole world of good if you take up my challenge."

To answer the challenge, Yusei slipped his helmet on and pressed the side button to lower the visor around his eyes. With a smile, Yusei turned to Jack and Crow who slipped on their respective helmets and lowered the visors, too. Akiza and the twins both gasped happily, Crow chuckling upon seeing Yusei's smile and Jack cracking a grin of his own.

"Good to see that lit'l smile of yours, Yusei," said Jack. "Now let's take this outside on the highway, shall we? You needed to get your legs stretched, anyway."

Yusei's smile grew more competitive.

"Alright, Jack. Let's do this."

* * *

Two Duel Runners sped down the highway, stretching across the sea from New Domino City to the Satellite.

Yusei, Jack and Crow rode their respective Duel Runners down the roads, swerving past cars with the easiest of movements. The feel of the wheels running on the road each gave them a comforting feeling, the cooling winds sliding across their faces. The ride was recorded on a video transmission feed through Crow's Duel Runner and was transferred to the video panel on Akiza's Duel Runner, a crimson motorcycle-like vehicle with two blade wings retracted to both sides of the two-wheeler. On the stands overlooking most of the Turbo Dueling courses, Akiza, Leo and Luna watched from the monitor, both preparing for the big match-up to begin.

Among the Turbo Duelists riding in their Duel Runners waiting for the thrill of the ride to come to them in unfeeling waves, the most Turbo Duelist who was the most calm of all was Yusei. He loved Turbo Dueling just like the next guy did, whether it was on the road or from the spectator stands; but right now, Yusei's love for Turbo Dueling had to wait as he contemplated about the present, a sage advice given to him by his old pal and long-time Dueling rival, Jack Atlas. Jack clenched his throttle, ready to crush Yusei in the upcoming Turbo Duel while Crow watched up close and the twins and the Psychic Duelist watched from afar.

_"Maybe Jack was right about one thing: Maybe I do need to focus on everything right now and what to do in the future,"_ Yusei thought to himself, looking over on his right to New Domino City. _"My father's research may have made many people suffer, but that's the whole reason why I have to continue bringing the people of New Domino into a new, brighter future. If what Z-one said was true about the future being desolate and destroyed, I have to do everything I can to help make sure that future doesn't come to pass."_

"Oy, Yusei! Are you done daydreaming!?" Jack shouted, bringing Yusei out of his thoughts. "Because if you are, then I'd like to get our Duel underway!"

"Right," Yusei said, nodding. "Activate 'Speed World 2'!"

Yusei pressed the button at the top of his right throttle and the card, "Speed World 2" appeared on the monitor screen, as well as on Jack's. Then a female automated voice activated in response to the card's activation. _"'Speed World 2' activated. Autopilot activated." _A circle with a thin outline of light expanded from Yusei's Duel Runner, and in response, the lane line glowed yellow. The side walls on the highway popped up to reveal a black screen, revealing "DUEL LANE" in bright yellow colors and the lane number underneath in a blue design.

On the glowing lane line, a red holographic wall appeared, spelling out "DUEL" in perfect red held by two yellow brackets over and under the red letters. Sirens blared and caught the attention of all who traveled down the New Domino City road. _"A Turbo Duel is about to commence. All non-Dueling vehicles must vacate the combat lane immediately,__"_ the female voice rang out as cars, trucks and vans swerved into the lane left of them while the Duel Runners passed them all on the road.

A map of New Domino City's Turbo Duel Circuits appeared on the monitor, all tracing the tracks in a different color all determining a perfect Dueling course for Yusei and Jack to duke it out in their Turbo Duel. _"Formulating crosstown Duel Course and awaiting central grid course's official authorization."_ One particular Dueling course was colored yellow, and the other colored courses disappeared. A symbol using three green up arrows appeared on Yusei's screen. _"Authorization granted."_

Then, somewhere along the edge of the road, a holographic yellow line appeared with the words "CAUTION - DUEL LANE SET" as the same lanes rose up, sirens blaring of the road's configuration warning. _"Combat lane transfiguration underway. __Combat lane transfiguration underway."_ The lifted roads also had lengthy black screens with the yellow words "DUEL LANE SET" moving along the screen. Yusei, Jack and Crow's Duel Runners traveled along the road and into an open barricade which led the three Turbo Duelists into a course, protected with curving panes of transparent yellow glass supported by the panes. From Akiza's Duel Runner monitor, Leo, Luna and Akiza cheered for Yusei on the stands, wishing him to do his best as he, Jack and Crow took the first turn.

"Now the stage has been set for our Duel, Yusei," Jack said. "You're free to back out now, if you like. I won't hold it against you if you decide to throw in the towel."

"I'm not planning on backing out now, Jack," Yusei replied. "I've already made it this far to turn back, and I'm not one to turn down a challenge."

Jack grinned, snickering a little. "That's the spirit, old chum. In fact, since you're feeling so spirited about our Duel, I'll let you take the first turn."

"Right." Yusei placed his gloved fingers on his Deck and closed his eyes, once again slipping into his meditative contemplation. _"This Duel isn't just about win or lose. It's about helping me look forward to a brighter future like I have with the people of New Domino, and my friends. In order for this to happen, I'm gonna need the power of my Deck to help me out in this Duel."_

Yusei's eyes snapped open. "Alright, Jack, let's rev it up!" Yusei drew his card, his words echoing as he did so. "Here we go!"

* * *

An explosion occurred somewhere along the curve of the Duel Circuit.

From the billowing smoke, emerged Yusei and his Duel Runner, two monsters on his field and one face-down card. The first monster was "Junk Synchron"(1300/500), a Tuner monster with orange steel-clad armor protecting its robotic body underneath, goggles over its eyes, a white flowing scarf and a big orange pot as a hat. An engine was strapped to its back, connected to a lever on its lower chest plate. The other monster was "Sonic Chick" (300/300), a pink bird chick with big green eyes, big red shoes and green collar with a tiny gold bell dangling from the front. An orange feather popped out of the chick's forehead as the Winged-Beast ran alongside Yusei's Duel Runner.

On Jack's field was a grinning, green-eyed Fiend monster with red hair flowing off of its ebony head. The "Mad Archfiend" (1800/0) wore blue chest armor and twin bull skulls on its shoulders, scrawny arms leading to its big, gauntlet clawed hands. The torso was an empty, toothy space containing a human skull inside and it wore yellow striped pants with red pointy-toe boots. Three face-down cards were left on the field, while Jack sported a dangerous grin. The Master of Faster knew what plans Yusei had in store for him, and he couldn't wait to see what it was. After all, he had a perfect counterattack just waiting to take down his old rival.

Crow followed his two foster brothers, recording the events on his Duel Runner transmission feed fed right to Akiza's Duel Runner, the owner and the fraternal twins all waiting at the track's starting line, watching the Duel from the monitor. Leo and Luna both cheered for Yusei while Akiza watched smiling, noticing Yusei's beginning ascension to embracing his own future.

"Whoo-hoo! Way to go, Yusei!" Leo cheered. "Now go and give Jack a good old-fashioned beatdown!"

"Uh, you do realize that this is a Duel and not a boxing match, don't you, Leo?" Luna asked.

"You know what I mean!" Leo argued.

_"Looks like Yusei is giving his all in this Duel, and he doesn't look so glum anymore,"_ Akiza noted in her thoughts, smiling at Yusei as he kept focused and very clear-minded _"I hope that this Duel can fully bring Yusei back to his normal self again. I'd like to see it just once before I finally graduate from Duel Academy."_

The three Duel Runners turned around the the corner of a declining ramp, which led underneath the finished Daedalus Bridge, a large highway bridged forked at the Satellite's harbor, where the original incomplete bridge stood tall as a symbol of freedom, built by a certain legendary with the goal of uniting Satellite with New Domino City. At the center of the highway and the sea was an arch, much like the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, with what appeared to be a giant ring with a diamond at the apex. If one could turn their head sideways, they would see the ring and its reflection in the water create an infinity symbol turned vertically.

As the Duel Runners turned onto a flatter ramp stretching across the water, Crow watched on, giving Yusei all of his support. "Looks like Yusei's gonna need a god draw if he has to come out on top this round," Crow noted before clenching his fist with support. "Go for it, Yusei! Give Jack a reminder why you're the hero of New Domino City!"

Turn ?: Yusei Fudo

"It's my turn, Jack..."

SPC: Yusei: 6 = 7 | Jack: 8 = 9

"...and I Summon out, 'Speed Warrior!'"

With a slap of the Monster Card, a circular portal appeared next to Yusei's Duel Runner, revealing a black rubber-suited warrior with white plate armor on his head, shoulders, arms and legs, his shoes containing roller blades and the torso being charcoal grey to hold the rubber suit together. The Warrior's face was concealed behind visor goggles and an oxygen mask, the tube leading into the chest plate. "Speed Warrior" skated out of the portal, turned with his rollerblading shoes and his hands and struck a battle-ready pose. (900/400)

Jack smirked as he knew what Yusei had planned next. "This may be me going out on a limb, but if I didn't know be'er, I'd say you're bringing out 'Junk Warrior.' Am I right so far, old friend?"

"You took the words out of my mouth!" Yusei thrust his hand forward and declared his next move. "Now I tune my Level three 'Junk Synchron' and my Level 2 'Speed Warrior!'" "Junk Synchron" pulled the lever in his armor, which started the engine strapped on his back as the little Warrior turned into light before converging into three orbs of light. The orbs of light became neon green rings which covered "Speed Warrior's" body, turning his outlines yellow as two other orbs were revealed in the Warrior's insides while the latter disappeared, leaving only the orbs behind.

"From two come one, and from one will come great power! Watch as they merge their might, combine their courage!" The rings created a pillar of bright light, which shone horizontally next to Yusei as one of his most powerful Warriors emerged from the light. "To Synchro Summon, 'Junk Warrior!'"

From out of the pillar of light flew a Warrior with a gray torso, purple armor, twin rocket propellants on its shoulder pads with wings on the sides and a gigantic gauntlet right fist with blunt knuckles. The long white scarf around its neck flapped in the winds as its red, circular eyes flashed, turned 360 degrees before it brought his limbs back, thrusting his fist forwards. (2300/1300)

The monster then descended to Yusei's level and flew with its owner's two-wheeled vehicle while Jack cracked a smirk. "So I was right all along! You're trying to take out my 'Mad Archfiend' using your Warrior's attack power and trying to deal me some extra damage by powering it up!" Yusei's stoic look remained unchanged while Jack humphed, his smirk also unchanging. "Tell me, Yusei, am I right, or am I wrong?"

"You're just about half right, Jack," Yusei said, picking a card from his hand. "From my hand, I activate 'Speed Spell - Vision Wind!' By removing two of my Speed Counters (SPC: Yusei: 7 = 5), I can Special Summon 'Speed Warrior' from my Graveyard!" The Speed Spell appeared next to Yusei's Runner, bringing out his "Speed Warrior" who emerged ready to serve his master in this round once again. Jack narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Yusei while the latter continued his turn.

"And now I activate 'Junk Warrior's ability!" Yusei shouted as his Warrior began to glow purple. "You see, on the turn he's been Synchro Summoned, he gains an additional Attack Power boost from each of my Level 2 or below monsters! Since I have my 'Sonic Chick' and my 'Speed Warrior' on my field, my 'Junk Warrior' gains an additional 1200 points!"

"Junk Warrior's" eyes glowed red as his ATK rose by the aforementioned amount. (Junk Warrior: 2300 = 3500/1300) Yusei thrusted his arm as he declared his attack. "Go, 'Junk Warrior!' Attack that Archfiend with Scrap Fist!" With a flash from the red eyes, "Junk Warrior" jumped. The rocket propellants on its shoulders flared as the Warrior launched itself at "Mad Archfiend," bringing its gigantic fist back and thrusting it to the Fiend.

"Guess you never learned from our previous matches, have you, Yusei?" Jack asked. "I activate 'Mad Archfiend's' special ability! Whenever my monster's attacked, I can switch it to Defense Mode! Too bad, Yusei, but my Life Points are now safe!" The DARK Fiend suddenly crouched down, crossed its arms and turned blue, the sign of a monster going on the Defensive. (1800/0)

Yusei countered Jack's remark with a smirk. "That all depends on how you define 'safe', 'old friend.'"

"What!?"

"I activate my Trap Card, 'Strike Slash!'"

As Yusei played his Trap, the card was flipped up, turning into a rectangular glowing light before releasing a fiery aura that engulfed "Junk Warrior." Jack's eyes widened as "Junk Warrior's" Attack points were raised by 700. (3500 = 4200/1300) "What's going on, Yusei! Why is your monster 700 points stronger!?"

"Because of my Trap Card!" Yusei answered. "With 'Strike Slash,' not only does my Warrior gain 700 additional Attack Points, but if it happens to strike down a monster in Defense Mode, the difference between their Attack and Defense Points come out of your Life Points!"

"It does what!?"

"Go, Scrap Fist!"

Jack growled as he pressed a button on his monitor, activating a face-down on Spell/Trap Zone. "Well it's a good thing for me that I have a countermeasure! I activate, 'Half or Nothing!'" Yusei gasped before Jack explained the card's effect. "Now when your attacking my monster, you get to choose these effects! You can either cut your monster's Attack Points in half, or you can end your Battle Phase! It's your choice, Yusei!"

Yusei grunted. "Fine! I choose to cut my monster's Attack Points in half!"

(Junk Warrior: 4200 = 2100/1300)

"A wise choice, my friend!" Jack remarked. "Although, it didn't matter which choice you had to pick, Yusei, because either way, I'm still in this game!"

"You may be in the game, Jack, but you're still going to take damage! Go, 'Junk Warrior!'" Junk Warrior continued its attack as its body was engulfed in a purplish apparition of its own fist. The "Mad Archfiend" disappeared in showering shards of light and blew to Jack's Duel Runner as the latter's Life Points dropped by 2100. Jack chuckled lightly.

"Not bad, Yusei," he complimented. "Looks like your head's still in the game, after all."

"Alright, Yusei, way to go!" Crow shouted, clenching his fist excitingly. "You've got Jack on the ropes now!"

Leo, Luna and Akiza cheered from the stands as they watched Yusei take a big lead ahead of Jack's Life Points on Akiza's Duel Runner monitor. "Aw, yeah! Did you see that!? Did you just see Yusei totally cream Jack's Life Points?" Leo asked Luna, unable to contain his excitement boiling inside him.

"Yeah, I did, Leo," Luna replied. "I was right here watching the Duel with you the whole time."

Leo then raised his clenched fists up in front of his face, both trembling at the same level of Leo's growing exhilaration. "This is Duel is so awesome! Yusei and Jack are going at each other just like their Duel in the Fortune Cup and neither of them are holding back their full power! This is so exciting, I feel like I might explode!"

"Try not to explode on me Leo," Luna quipped. "I just had my clothes washed yesterday."

Akiza glanced at the twins for a second, a slight smile and glimmering crimson eyes showing amusement to their bickering. Then she looked back to the monitor, which cut off to an aerial view of Yusei, Jack and Crow, Yusei's face showing seriousness, stoicism and competition. Akiza swore she felt something in her heart twinge as she stared at Yusei's face. She held her hand over her heart and hummed gently. _"You can do this, Yusei,"_ Akiza thought. _"We're all rooting for you."_

The Turbo Dueling Course turned around a right corner before moving onto a straight road across the sea, which would lead up to an upwards left ramp leading back into the city. Before that would happen, Yusei managed to pull ahead from Jack, for the latter's Duel Runner slowed down from the impact of 2100 Life Points being dealt to his owner as damage. However, Yusei managed to pull slightly ahead of Jack, getting enough distance for him to communicate with the Master of Faster.

"Quite an impressive move, Yusei," Jack admitted. "But it'll take more than losing half of my Life Points just to shake little old me down."

"That's what I'm planning on, Jack," Yusei said as he picked the two cards from his hand and Set them on the field. "I place two cards face-down and end my turn."

Turn ?: Jack Atlas

"Then it's my move!" Jack shouted as he drew his card.

SPC: Yusei: 7 = 8 | Jack: 9 = 10

"First, since you have a monster on your field and I have none, I get to Summon this monster without sacrificing a monster!" Jack shouted as he slapped down his Monster Card. "Go, 'Big Piece Golem!'" From a circular portal, a golem made out of rock appeared, a face on the front, limbs made of the same material with three digits on each of its stony hands and feet. (2100/0)

"But I'm not done, Yusei! Now, I activate the 'Revival Gift' Trap Card!" The Trap Card flipped up as Jack explained the card's effect. "Now I get to Summon one Tuner monster from my Graveyard as long as I have to give up its special ability! Now I call upon my 'Dark Resonator' Tuner monster to the field!" Out from the glowing artwork came a little red-eyed, sharp-toothed Fiend wearing a gray horned helmet, a black cloak, a red frilly collar and an orange-and-green pad running down the front. It held one tuning fork and one metallic wand with a blue orb tip, also five circular chimes decorated its back. (1300/300)

Yusei grit his teeth. _"Not good. I know what's gonna come next."_

"And since I'm feeling generous today," Jack continued. "I can lend with a little gift; a couple of 'Gift Fiend Tokens' on your side of the field!" The glowing card then turned into a stream of light which split into two, both of them on both sides of Yusei's Duel Runner. Out of the lights came two waddling black tadpole-like creatures with arms and legs, orange bellies, big blue eyes and a jack-o-lantern mouths, both of them turning blue. (1500/1500)

Jack waved his hand and declared his next move. "Now with that out of the way, I tune my Level 3 'Dark Resonator' with my Level 5 'Big Piece Golem!'"

"Dark Resonator" chimed its tuning forks, which in turn resonated the chimes on its back before it turned into three orbs of light. The orbs turned into green circular rings which descended over the "Big Piece Golem," turning its outlines into neon orange and revealing five similar orbs. "Witness as great power is fortified into a single vessel, as might becomes even mightier!" Jack chanted as the five orbs were aligned before a pillar of light was shot through the rings. "As I Synchro Summon the 'Red Dragon Archfiend!'"

Appearing out of the pillar of light came a black-armored dragon protecting its red scales, three horns protruding from both sides and the top of its head. Its orange eyes gleamed with light as it bared its red toothy jaws, bellowing out a mighty roar as the light disappeared, revealing the true form of the "Red Dragon Archfiend." Its crimson wings spread out to its full width as the shoulders, chest, belly and legs were protected by armor-like red scales, scarlet armbands clamped over the arms that led to the dragon's opposable thumbed-claws. The dragon's waist was held by red plating with spikes poking out of the scales while the drake took flight alongside Jack's Duel Runner. (3000/2000)

The "Red Dragon Archfiend" growled as Jack turned his Phoenix Whirlwind around so he would face Yusei and ride down the track backwards at the same time. Jack thrust his arm out, ready for his attack. "And now that my 'Red Dragon Archfiend' is out and about, I can have it attack your 'Sonic Chick!' Go, Absolute Powerforce!"

The DARK Dragon gathered a ball of fiery light in its maw and released it to the pink baby bird, who squawked with panic. Even though "Sonic Chick" couldn't be destroyed by the Dragon, its master would feel the fiery effects of the attack, had it not been for his two face-down cards. Yusei's eyes narrowed, knowing this was the perfect time to play those face-downs. "I play my Trap Card! 'Graceful Revival!'" Yusei shouted as the Trap Card flipped face-up. "Now I get to select one Level 2 or below from my Graveyard and Special Summon it to my field!"

"What!?" Jack shouted.

"You may remember this little guy earlier at the beginning of our Duel, so allow me to welcome back my 'Nitro Synchron' from the Graveyard!" The card's artwork glowed, two little blonde cherubs wearing white cloaks emerging from the light, bringing back a monster resembling a red-and-white nitro tank with ovular yellow eyes, long red nose and a big bottom lip, springy metallic arms with big yellow gloves, shoes and a nitro gauge perched on top of its head. (300/100)

Jack grunted; now he knew what strategy that laid ahead for Yusei. "And next I play the Trap, 'Urgent Tuning!'" Yusei shouted as he revealed his Trap Card. "Now I can take my 'Junk Warrior,' 'Sonic Chick' and 'Nitro Synchron' and use them all to Synchro Summon during the Battle Phase!"

"You can what!?" Jack shouted, following with a gasp from Crow, Leo, Luna and Akiza.

"Now I can tune my Level 2 'Nitro Synchron' with my Level 1 'Sonic Chick' and my Level 5 'Junk Warrior!'" The needle on "Nitro Synchron's" gauge reached red and the Tuner transformed into two orbs of light, which then transformed into two neon green rings. The rings encompassed "Junk Warrior" and "Sonic Chick" with their bodies only having orange outlines and orbs shining within.

"Out of three will come one, and out of one will comegreat cosmic might!" The pillar of light shot through the rings and Yusei and his Duel Runner became shadowed silhouettes in its powerful illumination. "Take flight, 'Stardust Dragon!'" Then from the light came a silvery-white dragon with purple nearly-transparent orbs on its chest and wings. The dragon's head consisted of three horns on its head and a forth serving as the nose with a bard at the end. The dragon's scales underneath the silvery armor sparkled as its wings thrusted it up into the air, giving off a majestic screech as it hovered neared Yusei's Duel Runner, rearing to go into battle. (2500/2000)

"Now there's the Yusei I know and love! He just pulled off a Synchro Summon on Jack's turn and managed to bring out his best monster!" Crow noted as the "Stardust Dragon" descended near Yusei's Duel Runner. "Now come on, Yusei, give Jack everything that you've got!"

"Stardust Dragon" and "Red Dragon Archfiend" both stared down with each other, their eyes devoid of pupils, but showing equal ferocity as they roared at each other. Jack smirked from the entrance of Yusei's best monster, now knowing the real Duel was about to begin. "Looks like you've put on your A-game in this Duel, haven't you, Yusei?" he asked. "But how exactly is your Dragon going to show you the way to your bright future?"

"I'll let my 'Stardust Dragon' answer that for you once your Dragon battles!" Yusei replied.

"Are you sure about that, Yusei? What makes you think I would want to battle your 'Stardust Dragon' when you haven't felt yourself moving on from your own past?"

"My own past?" Yusei echoed. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, come on, Yusei, you know exactly what I mean," said Jack. "Are you certain you're feeling ready to move on?" Jack asked, making Yusei gasp with a "huh?" "Earlier this morning, you felt down in the dumps because of what you believe to be your father's research changing New Domino City for the rest of its life. Now you're even more focused and more agile than you were before, and I can tell you're focus is just one way of defending yourself from the truth, and the truth is, you're not brave enough to face the future by yourself!"

Yusei gasped as the words struck through him like a spear. "Look, Yusei, I know how hard it is to move on from everything that happened in the past, but there's no use with covering it up. I know you, Yusei, and the fact is, you're still not ready to face your future yet. You have a lot to learn about coping with everything in the past in order to face your future. Believe me, old chap, I should know." Jack tilted his head down as he remembered going through the lowest point of his life, but getting back up on his feet with the help of a certain down-on-her-luck female reporter.

"But what about you, Yusei? Who have you to turn to whenever you felt this down?" Jack continued. "You needed a good thrashing from me because you couldn't acknowledge the fact when Kalin became a Dark Signer that one time, you needed our power to face-off against Z-one because you couldn't defeat him on your own, and most of all, Yusei, you're needing us right now to help you back on your feet and face your own future!

"Well, let me say something, Yusei, you're not ready to go off on your own way! In fact, if you're so desperate to change everything your father did, then you have to learn how you can change it on your own! You don't need just me, Crow or the others to help put your past behind you! All you need is yourself and your commitment to make everything right for New Domino City! If your father and everyone else saw you the way you are, then how do you think they'll feel if you aren't willing to face your own past!?"

Yusei gasped once more, the words finally taking effect on him. He bowed his head s the tint of his helmet's visor covered his gaze. Somehow, the faces of his friends and family that he lost -His father, Rex Goodwin, Roman, Bruno, Aporia, Z-one- flashed through his head like a montage. Jack's sage advice about knowing when to face the future had left him slightly dumbfounded, but he couldn't disagree with him. If Jack told him one thing back then, it was knowing how to respect his cards and where his Dueling truly came from, and overtime, Yusei learned to appreciate every card.

Jack's sage advice for his future, however, was completely different. It was as if Jack was pushing Yusei to learn how and when he could truly move on from the guilt he felt for his father's research. Yusei bowed his head down, his visor's tinted glass covering his shaded eyes.

_"Maybe Jack is right. Maybe I'm not ready to move on,"_ Yusei thought. _"I made a vow to help the people of New Domino City move on and live a full, happy life, but how can I fulfill that vow when I can't escape everything that's happened beforehand? I guess I'll never find out how I can put the past behind me."_

"Yusei!"

As if by perfect timing, Yusei thought he heard his name being called out from a distance. He looked over to the orange stands and saw Leo, Luna and Akiza all by the latter's Duel Runner, waving and cheering for him by only a split second at such an incredible speed. Although it was only a split second when Yusei passed his cheering teammates, that was all the time needed as the answer Yusei needed hit him like an epiphany.

Yusei knew the feeling his spectators... his friends... felt at the moment. They felt excitement, exhilaration, fun, happy... such quantities of positivity that Yusei hadn't felt today. Dueling was supposed to be fun and Yusei treated his life like he would a Duel. In the past, Yusei had lost his comrades, he cannot deny that; but with the power his comrades left behind for Yusei to use, a brighter path to victory shone and it guided him to a more brighter future.

The wind that whipped through the Signer's hair changed.

Yusei lifted his gaze back up so his eye was visible through the tint of his visor. Jack's eyes widened as he saw something different grow inside Yusei, followed with a wondrous expression from Crow, Leo, Luna and Akiza. "I know what I have to do," Yusei said, his voice reverting back to competition before facing his Dueling rival. "Hey, Jack, thanks giving me your little pep talk! I appreciate the advice you gave me and how much I've taken it all to heart, but now it's my turn to tell you something! I now know what I have to do, and that's win this Duel!"

"What are you talking about, Yusei?" Jack asked.

"What I'm saying is that I've found an answer!" Yusei replied. "It may not be the answer you expect me to find, but from what I've just experienced, I'd like to tell it anyway! I know you want me to put my past behind me and move on, but that's completely different from where I'm going! Where I'm going is a brighter future, where I can learn whatever mistakes were left behind and use them to create a better life! A better future for everyone to share in New Domino City!

"You all taught me those valuable lessons despite whatever you all went through in your pasts just to get where you are right now! Now I see how I can move on to the future and I'm starting it right now by ending this Duel!" Yusei gripped his throttle and accelerated next to Jack's Duel Runner, a spark seen in the depths of his eyes. "Jack, if I have to start believing in myself and my future, then let's battle! Use all of your power into this one final attack!"

Jack huffed, smiling. "You seem pretty desperate for my 'Red Dragon Archfiend' to attack your dragon. Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"I am, Jack," Yusei replied. "This battle is the only way I can ensure the path to a brighter future. If our Dragons don't battle this turn, then neither of us will know how my future will play out."

"Fair enough, Yusei," Jack quipped. "Since you insisted on using our Dragons' power to ensure your future, then I'll be happy to oblige! 'Red Dragon Archfiend,' attack with 'Absolute Powerforce!'" The Dragon complied as it gathered a ball of fire in its mouth and blasted it towards its draconic rival. "Stardust Dragon" roared as the fire neared its body and made impact with its body, Crow, Akiza, Leo and Luna all watching the unfolding Duel with shock.

"Hope you've got something up your sleeve, Yusei!" Crow shouted. "Because if you don't, then your Dragon is toast!"

Jack humphed, a triumphant smile spread across his lips. "Looks like my 'Red Dragon Archfiend' is victorious after all. I guess after all that talk about finally facing your own future, you're still not ready."

"Maybe so, Jack, but I'm letting my cards speak for themselves," Yusei replied, causing Jack's eyes to widen with shock. "From my Graveyard, I activate 'Skill Successor.' So now by removing this card from the game, my 'Stardust Dragon' gains an additional 800 Attack Points, making it 300 points stronger than your Dragon!" As Yusei said that, "Stardust Dragon" roared as his Attack Power was increased by the mentioned number of points. (Stardust Dragon: 2500 = 3300/2000)

"3300 Attack Points!?" Jack shouted.

"That's right, Jack, and now my 'Stardust Dragon' is about ready to counterattack!" Yusei thrust his arm up to the sky as "Stardust Dragon" gathered a breath of light in its mouth. "Go, 'Stardust Dragon!' Push that Dragon's attack back with Cosmic Flare!"

In order to comply with its master's call, the silvery drake shot its light back at the fiery breath, pushing the "Absolute Powerforce" attack back to the "Red Dragon Archfiend." Soon, both of the rivaling Signer Dragons were caught in a standstill, pushing their breaths against each other with a slightly uneven force. The force of the attacks resonated a strange pulse in the atmosphere, causing a strange, single heartbeat to bump in the Signers' chests as their world briefly inverted into negativity.

"What was that just now?" Yusei asked.

"I'm not sure," Jack answered. "It felt like my heart wanted to jump right out of my chest."

"Maybe it has something to do with the Dragons," Crow guessed.

Then, at the same time, the Marks of the Dragon on the trio's arm glowed a crimson red, the sensation like feeling a burning brand on their right arm. At the stands, Akiza, Leo and Luna all felt their Marks as well, like a red alert was given through a mystic grapevine. "Our Marks! Why are they glowing!?" Leo shouted through his pain.

"I don't know, Leo!" Luna answered. "But I think the Crimson Dragon is trying to warn us that something bad is about to happen!"

"Like how bad is it!?"

As soon as Leo asked the question, another strange pulse erupted from the opposing Signer Dragons' blasts, causing the weird sensation in their chests to pound. In response to the pulse, the Signers' Marks to glow brighter and burn hotter. "I think it's an end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it sort of bad!" Luna shouted as she gripped her arm to hold against the pain.

"But how is this happening!?" Akiza wondered. "There's no way that these strange pulses could appear out of thin air like that! Unless..." Akiza looked to her Duel Runner monitor, the screen going fuzzy from the pulses as Crow's Duel Runner recorded the attack. Soon, another pulse waved out from the Dragons' attack, and with it, came the screen going completely fuzzy.

Another pound in her chest cnfirmed Akiza's worries. "That's it!"

Crow grunted while he rode his Duel Runner, the effects of the strange pulses already taking its toll. Crow's Blackbird monitor blinked and a video of Akiza's face appeared on his screen. "Crow! You have to tell Yusei and Jack to stop the Duel!" Akiza urged from her fuzzy screen. "If you don't, then something bad is about to happen!"

Crow's pained face turned to shock before he looked up to his Dueling foster brothers. "You heard the lady, guys, call off the Duel!" the Winged-Beast Duelist shouted. "If you guys continue this attack, then for all intense and purposes, New Domino City could go _ka-boom_ again!" Yusei and Jack gasped as they heard the news, but no sooner as the midpoint of the attacks began to form a brilliant, mysterious light.

"It's too late!" Yusei shouted. "Something's already happening!"

"What is that light!?" Jack shouted as the light continued to grow bigger.

"I don't know," Crow answered. "But whatever that light is, then you guys better brace yourselves! This could get rough!"

"Stardust Dragon" and "Red Dragon Archfiend" both bellowed a pained roar as the light expanded to their bodies, both of them disappearing into the deadly brilliance before it expanded to claim Yusei, Jack and Crow as its next victims. Yusei grit his teeth and grunted, Jack yelled lightly to cope with his fears and Crow screamed as they disappeared into the light, which quickly illuminated the Dueling course tracks and the stands. Akiza covered her eyes and screamed while Leo and Luna hugged each other for protection, both of them showing great fear in screaming too. Soon, their screams became silent echoes as the light covered the sea, all of New Domino City and Satellite, all in one flash.

Just like the original Domino City and Duel Academy Island afterwards, New Domino City and Satellite were next to join them in the Void.

* * *

FEATURED CARDS

YUSEI FUDO'S CARDS

Junk Synchron  
(DARK/Level 3/Warrior/Tuner/1300/500)  
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 Level 2 or lower monster from your Graveyard; Special Summon it in face-up Defense Position. That monster's effect(s) is negated.

Nitro Synchron  
(FIRE/Level 2/Machine/Tuner/300/100)  
If this card is sent to the Graveyard for the Synchro Summon of a "Nitro" Synchro Monster: Draw 1 card.

Sonic Chick  
(EARTH/Level 1/Winged-Beast/Effect/300/300)  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle with a monster that has 1900 or more ATK.

Speed Warrior  
(WIND/Level 2/Warrior/Effect/900/400)  
Once per Battle Phase, if this card was Normal Summoned this turn (except during the Damage Step): You can make its ATK become double its original ATK, until the End of the Battle Phase.

Junk Warrior  
(DARK/Level 5/Warrior/Synchro/Effect/2300/1300)  
"Junk Synchron" + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters  
When this card is Synchro Summoned, it gains ATK equal to the total ATK of all Level 2 and lower monsters you control.

Stardust Dragon  
(WIND/Level 8/Dragon/Synchro/Effect/2500/2000)  
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters  
During either player's turn, when a card or effect is activated that would destroy a card(s) on the field: You can Tribute this card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it. During the End Phase, if this effect was activated this turn (and was not negated): You can Special Summon this card from your Graveyard.

Speed Spell - Vision Wind  
Speed Spell  
Remove 2 of your Speed Counters: Special Summon 1 Level 2 or lower monster from your Graveyard. Destroy it during the End Phase.

Speed World 2  
Field Spell  
Spell Cards other than "Speed Spell" Spell Cards cannot be activated. If a player activates a non-"Speed Spell" Spell Card, they take 2000 damage. During each player's Standby Phases: Each player places 1 Speed Counter of their own on this card (max. 12 each). You can remove Speed Counters of your own: apply the appropriate effects.  
●4 Counters: Reveal any number of "Speed Spell" Spell Cards in your hand; Inflict 800 damage to your opponent for each card revealed.  
●7 Counters: Draw 1 card.  
●10 Counters: Destroy 1 card on the field.

Graceful Revival  
Continuous Trap  
Target 1 Level 2 or lower monster from your Graveyard: Special Summon it in Attack Position. When this card is removed from the field, destroy that monster. When that monster is removed from the field, destroy this card.

Skill Successor  
Normal Trap  
Target 1 face-up monster you control; it gains 400 ATK until the End Phase. During your turn, except the turn this card was sent to the Graveyard: You can banish this card from the Graveyard, then target 1 face-up monster you control; that target gains 800 ATK until the End Phase.

Strike Slash  
Normal Trap  
When a monster you control declares an attack: Until the End Phase, that monster gains 700 ATK, also, if it attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent.

Urgent Tuning  
Normal Trap  
During the Battle Phase: Immediately after this effect resolves, Synchro Summon 1 Synchro Monster using monsters you control.

JACK ATLAS'S CARDS

Big Piece Golem  
(EARTH/Level 5/Rock/Effect/2100/0)  
If your opponent controls a monster and you control no monsters, you can Normal Summon this card without Tributing.

Dark Resonator  
(DARK/Level 3/Fiend/Tuner/1300/300)  
Once per turn, this card cannot be destroyed by battle.

Mad Archfiend  
(DARK/Level 4/Fiend/Effect/1800/0)  
If this card attacks a Defense Position Monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent. When this face-up Attack Position monster is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position.

Red Dragon Archfiend  
(DARK/Level 8/Dragon/Synchro/Effect/3000/2000)  
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters  
After damage calculation, when this card attacks a Defense Position monster your opponent controls: Destroy all Defense Position monsters your opponent controls. During your End Phase: Destroy all other monsters you control that did not declare an attack this turn. Monsters Summoned after the Battle Phase are excluded from this effect. This card must remain face-up on the field to activate and to resolve this effect.

Speed World 2  
Field Spell  
Spell Cards other than "Speed Spell" Spell Cards cannot be activated. If a player activates a non-"Speed Spell" Spell Card, they take 2000 damage. During each player's Standby Phases: Each player places 1 Speed Counter of their own on this card (max. 12 each). You can remove Speed Counters of your own: apply the appropriate effects.  
●4 Counters: Reveal any number of "Speed Spell" Spell Cards in your hand: inflict 800 damage to your opponent for every card revealed.  
●7 Counters: Draw 1 card.  
●10 Counters: Destroy 1 card on the field.

Half or Nothing  
Normal Trap  
During your opponent's Battle Phase (except during the Damage Step): Your opponent chooses 1 of these effects.  
● Halve the ATK of all monsters they currently control, until the end of the Battle Phase.  
● End the Battle Phase.

Revival Gift  
Normal Trap  
Select 1 Tuner monster from your Graveyard; Negate its effects, and if you do, Special Summon it, then Special Summon 2 "Gift Fiend Tokens" (Fiend-Type/DARK/Level 3/ATK 1500/DEF 1500) to your opponent's side of the field.


End file.
